Incident Description
At night, an aircraft touched down on the runway at Raleigh-Durham Airport. Immediately after touchdown, the nosewheel collapsed. The airplane then slid along the runway for several yards before coming to a stop. All 43 individuals on board evacuated the aircraft without any reported injuries. The aircraft itself sustained significant damage and was subsequently considered beyond economical repair.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the collapse was caused by a failure of the nosewheel steering system upon touchdown. Specifically, a fatigue fracture occurred in a valve body on the nosewheel steering jack twin valve. This failure led to oscillations in the steering system, which ultimately resulted in the nosewheel collapsing.
Outcome
The aircraft was written off due to the extent of the damage. The incident remains under review by relevant aviation authorities, but no further details on corrective actions have been released.