Incident Details
On 19 September 2005, a Swearingen SA227-AC aircraft, registration PH-DYM, was scheduled for a charter flight from Rotterdam Airport to Birmingham Airport. The aircraft carried seventeen passengers and two cockpit crew members. The planned departure time was 07:30 local time.
Accident Sequence
The aircraft taxied to the beginning of runway 24 and lined up for take-off. During line-up, the speed levers were moved from taxi to flight position. The nose wheel steering fault indicator illuminated, and the first officer, who was steering, reported a loss of nose wheel steering. The captain reminded the first officer to press the switch on the throttles that activates the nose wheel steering system. The first officer then confirmed restoration of steering.
After receiving take-off clearance, the first officer advanced power and began the take-off roll. At a speed around 50 knots, the nose wheel steering switch is normally released, and aerodynamic rudder forces take over steering. Shortly after release, the aircraft began moving left. The first officer applied brakes and rudder to correct, but the aircraft continued left. The crew rejected the take-off but could not prevent the aircraft from leaving the runway on the left side.
Aftermath
The grass area alongside the runway was lower and soft. The left landing gear sank into the soft ground, causing heavy deceleration and immediate breakage of the left landing gear. The left wing tip struck the ground, inducing a ground loop that turned the aircraft further left. Subsequently, the right landing gear and nose gear also broke off. The captain shut down all onboard systems and cut fuel supply. The first officer evacuated passengers calmly via the left front door. Airport fire services arrived shortly after. One passenger was taken to hospital for a check-up and was released the same morning. Despite the relatively low speed, the aircraft sustained severe structural damage.
Investigation
Tyre tracks on the runway indicated that the steering problem had been present from the beginning of the take-off. The crew intervened as soon as the nose wheel steering fault appeared after the switch release but were unable to prevent the runway excursion.
Probable Cause
This accident was caused by a hydraulic leakage in the nose wheel steering system.