Narrative:
A Swearingen SA.227AC Metro III passenger plane, registered PH-DYM, sustained substantial damage in a takeoff accident at Rotterdam Airport (RTM), Netherlands. All 17 passengers and two crew members survived. The airplane operated on a charter flight from Rotterdam Airport (RTM) to Birmingham International Airport (BHX).
The aircraft taxied to the beginning of runway 24 and lined up for takeoff. During line-up, the speed levers for the engines were moved from taxi position to flight position. The nose wheel steering fault indicator lit up and the first officer, who was steering the aircraft, responded by saying that he had no nose wheel steering. The captain informed the first officer that he had forgotten to press the switch on the throttles, which activates the nose wheel steering system. The first officer then confirmed that he had nose wheel steering.
The aircraft almost immediately began moving towards the left hand side of the runway. The first officer tried to use the brakes and the directional rudder to return the aircraft to the centre of the runway. The aircraft had a speed of between 50 and 60 knots at that point. The crew rejected the takeoff but could not prevent the aircraft ending up alongside the runway, on the left hand side.
The grass area alongside the runway is lower than the runway and the ground was soft. The left landing gear sank in the soft ground first and, as a result, the aircraft decelerated heavily and the left landing gear broke off almost immediately. The tip of the left wing struck the ground. This caused a ground loop effect and turned the aircraft further left. As a consequence the right landing gear and the nose gear also broke off.
Once the aircraft had come to a standstill, the captain switched off all onboard systems and cut off the fuel supply to the engines. Simultaneously, the first officer was given the task of evacuating the passengers. The passengers were calm and left the aircraft without problems via the left hand door at the front of the aircraft. A moment later, the airport fire service arrived at the location of the accident. There was severe damage despite the relatively slow speed at which the aircraft left the runway.
CONCLUSION: "This accident was caused by an hydraulic leakage in the nose wheel steering system. The tyre tracks on the runway implied that the steering problem had occurred from the beginning of the take-off. The crew intervened as soon as after the nose wheel switch had been released and the nose wheel steering fault came on but were unable to prevent the aircraft leaving the runway."
Runway excursion
accident date: 19-09-2005
type: Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III
registration: PH-DYM
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 19 September 2005 |
| Time: | 07:30 |
| Type: |  Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III |
| Operator: | Dynamic Air |
| Registration: | PH-DYM |
| MSN: | AC-523 |
| First flight: | 1982 |
| Engines: | 2 Garrett TPE331-11U-611G |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 17 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 19 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Rotterdam Airport (RTM) ( Netherlands)
|
| Phase: | Takeoff (TOF) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Rotterdam Airport (RTM/EHRD), Netherlands |
| Birmingham International Airport (BHX/EGBB), United Kingdom |
A Swearingen SA.227AC Metro III passenger plane, registered PH-DYM, sustained substantial damage in a takeoff accident at Rotterdam Airport (RTM), Netherlands. All 17 passengers and two crew members survived. The airplane operated on a charter flight from Rotterdam Airport (RTM) to Birmingham International Airport (BHX).
The aircraft taxied to the beginning of runway 24 and lined up for takeoff. During line-up, the speed levers for the engines were moved from taxi position to flight position. The nose wheel steering fault indicator lit up and the first officer, who was steering the aircraft, responded by saying that he had no nose wheel steering. The captain informed the first officer that he had forgotten to press the switch on the throttles, which activates the nose wheel steering system. The first officer then confirmed that he had nose wheel steering.
The aircraft almost immediately began moving towards the left hand side of the runway. The first officer tried to use the brakes and the directional rudder to return the aircraft to the centre of the runway. The aircraft had a speed of between 50 and 60 knots at that point. The crew rejected the takeoff but could not prevent the aircraft ending up alongside the runway, on the left hand side.
The grass area alongside the runway is lower than the runway and the ground was soft. The left landing gear sank in the soft ground first and, as a result, the aircraft decelerated heavily and the left landing gear broke off almost immediately. The tip of the left wing struck the ground. This caused a ground loop effect and turned the aircraft further left. As a consequence the right landing gear and the nose gear also broke off.
Once the aircraft had come to a standstill, the captain switched off all onboard systems and cut off the fuel supply to the engines. Simultaneously, the first officer was given the task of evacuating the passengers. The passengers were calm and left the aircraft without problems via the left hand door at the front of the aircraft. A moment later, the airport fire service arrived at the location of the accident. There was severe damage despite the relatively slow speed at which the aircraft left the runway.
Probable Cause:
CONCLUSION: "This accident was caused by an hydraulic leakage in the nose wheel steering system. The tyre tracks on the runway implied that the steering problem had occurred from the beginning of the take-off. The crew intervened as soon as after the nose wheel switch had been released and the nose wheel steering fault came on but were unable to prevent the aircraft leaving the runway."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Rejected takeoffRunway excursion
Photos
accident date: 19-09-2005
type: Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III
registration: PH-DYM
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Rotterdam Airport to Birmingham International Airport as the crow flies is 422 km (264 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Rotterdam Airport to Birmingham International Airport as the crow flies is 422 km (264 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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