Air Ambulance B200 gear collapse Essendon Airport

[ACMS]

Seems a King Air came to grief this evening at YMEN, disabled at the intersection of both runways!!

Right main collapse.

Royal Flying Doctor Service plane skids 500m after wheel collapses on landing at Essendon Airport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-13/royal-flying-doctor-service-plane-has-close-call-at-essendon/8117990)

[Desert Flower]

One had a "landing incident" at Moomba today too, although I can't find out exactly what happened. Must have been "stack a King Air" day!

DF.

[Desert Flower]

Official statement - aircraft incidences

DATE PUBLISHED
13 Dec 2016
Today (December 13) there have been two unrelated aircraft incidences that have occurred at separate locations reported by RFDS (South Eastern Section). Everyone on board both aircraft are safe and well and there are no injuries.

The first incident occurred this afternoon just before 1pm central time. A regular RFDS (South Eastern Section) clinic flight from Broken Hill had a landing incident in Moomba, SA. Three of our staff were on board the aircraft at the time. All staff are well and safe and exited the plane safely. No patients were on board.

Later on this evening at 6.20pm AEDT, an RFDS (South Eastern Section) aircraft experienced a landing incident in Essendon, Victoria during a non emergency patient transfer. None of the passengers were injured and all disembarked the aircraft in the normal manner.

We are liaising closely with the relevant authorities to understand the cause of both separate incidents.

As always the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and our patients remains our top priority.

DF.

[YouKnow.Whatever]

"The pilot said when he landed the wheels were in the down position and as he was taxiing it they collapsed," Commander Guy McRorie from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said.

"We were lucky that when the plane did stop it was in its final part of slowing down," he said.

"... sparks flying off the wheel tips, there is always a potential for a fire.

Oh Guy McRorie - Why can't people be more interrigent, like me?

[Desert Flower]

I saw that, & I thought what the hell is he on about?!

DF.

[gerry111]

I suspect that he may have meant that it was fortunate that the aircraft didn't come to a sudden stop from a high speed. But I may be wrong? :confused:

[Fris B. Fairing]

Clearly not the "front wheel" as Nine are reporting.

[Octane]

Did the wheels collapse, tyres blew out or the undercarriage collapse (LH prop looks ok)? Both wheels collapsing at the same time? Odd!

[Ixixly]

If no one was injured, why were they on an RFDS flight to start with? :}:}

[thunderbird five]

According to the news: Landed, then while taxying in, gear collapsed, then he skidded 500m. I hate it when that happens. Reminds me of the time I skidded on some tram tracks outside Essendon, I ended up in the city.

[FGD135]

Incidences? Incidences? No such word.

Desert Flower, where did that "press release" come from? Apart from "incidences", there is one other instance of appalling English. If it was the RFDS, then, oh dear ...

[Band a Lot]

High speed taxi?

500 m skid is a long way at taxi speeds.

[Capn Bloggs]

disabled at the intersection of both runways!!
Captain Murphy in command...

[Slab]

Sitting a little low to the ground in Moomba...

[IFEZ]

Can't view the photo for some reason, but I read it clipped a fence on approach about 300m from the runway http://cdn.pprune.org/images/smilies/confused.gif Is this correct..? Seems strange given its a regular destination for them and presumably during daylight hrs..?

[Desert Flower]

Incidences? Incidences? No such word.

Desert Flower, where did that "press release" come from? Apart from "incidences", there is one other instance of appalling English. If it was the RFDS, then, oh dear ...
Yes it did come from the RFDS.

DF.

[Car RAMROD]

That looks pretty nasty slab. Any more info on how/what/why that happened? That main gear is in an odd spot and is that a massive crinkle in the rear fuselage?
ATSB have it listed as a "collision with terrain" - not surprising considering how it looks in the photo!
The fence in the photo, I'm guessing it's the airport perimeter fence. Is the plane inside or outside the fence- ie did the plane come down on approach before the airport or has it come off the end of the runway?

Also, unless I'm blind, I don't see anything on the ATSB site about the EN Kingair. You'd think a gear collapse would have been reported and on the website. So I'm left thinking, did they report it or was it not as bad as has been reported (say maybe just a blown tyre or two and unable to taxi instead of a gear collapse)?

[Desert Flower]

ATSB report says it struck the airport perimeter fence during approach.

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2016/aair/ao-2016-170/

DF.

[Car RAMROD]

DF, I'm wondering if it hit the fence and then came to grief in the position depicted in the photo, or did it hit the ground and then the fence?

Basically, did it hit the fence and he came down afterwards as a result? Which, if he is airside in the pic, he has gone off the side somehow or way over to the other end of the field before coming to rest.

He sure didn't hit the fence in the pic whilst on approach, unless he came to grief before it and slid into it.


What was the weather like at the time? Hopefully not another Coffs type minima bust/cfit.

[Desert Flower]

DF, I'm wondering if it hit the fence and then came to grief in the position depicted in the photo, or did it hit the ground and then the fence?

Basically, did it hit the fence and he came down afterwards as a result? Which, if he is airside in the pic, he has gone off the side somehow or way over to the other end of the field before coming to rest.

He sure didn't hit the fence in the pic whilst on approach, unless he came to grief before it and slid into it.


What was the weather like at the time? Hopefully not another Coffs type minima bust/cfit.
It's a bit hard to tell exactly what happened. Pretty sure weather wasn't a problem. And I don't know if the pilot was male or female - the one day I didn't have the scanner turned up high I missed it. I know I know - getting slack in my old age! :(

DF.

[TBM-Legend]

I'm amazed that the EN refueller can't set the story straight. If it happened in TVL our man there would have been right on it.

Lucky the Moomba security fence saved the day..

[Ixixly]

Car Ramrod, they report so far from ATSB on the Moomba incident states that it hit the fence during Approach.

[Car RAMROD]

Ix, well, duh. DF already mentioned what the report said.

What nobody seems to be able to say is where the aircraft came to rest in relation to said hit fence. Hence my questioning.

One also struggles to comprehend how an approach in apparently good weather results in a King Air presented like this one.

[Ixixly]

Car RAMROD, you asked "if it hit the fence and then came to grief in the position depicted in the photo, or did it hit the ground and then the fence?" it clearly states it hit the fence on approach, so therefore it hit the fence then somehow ended up with the gear up sliding on its belly.

If it hit the fence after it had already impacted the ground it wouldn't have said it hit the fence on approach, it would have had a gear up landing and gone through a fence. "duh".

[Car RAMROD]

Those initial 20 second summaries released straight after the event don't contain that much info, it is a very basic description which may not have all the info.

So apologies for asking some questions to ascertain if there's any more to the story. I haven't yet discounted that it could have touched down before the fence and then hit it whilst trying to go around with the subsequent belly slide. Only for the simple reason that it was obviously low enough to hit the fence in the first place.

I'm intrigued as to the odd placement of what appears to be a detached MLG too.

[PPRuNeUser0161]

Fact is the aircraft didn't land on a runway due to an abnormality or whatever. Very interesting this will be.

SN

[Grogmonster]

It will be very interesting indeed to find out what happened. I see another thread started about this incident was locked although probably because it was mentioned here. I suspect that this has been kept very quite because there is a bit of a story behind it which of course makes it more interesting. I guess the best part is that nobody was hurt which is always a good thing.

[Band a Lot]

Wouldn't happen in a sim!

[Car RAMROD]

Band, are you suggesting it was a training accident?

[Band a Lot]

Springs to mind after another thread I was reading and extreme lack of info released to protect brand that if was deflectable away from brand, would have been by now.

My experience is RFDS will cop it on the chin if it is RFDS or staff fault but after reports and investigations done. But if staff offer explanation that it was some other factor, that is released by management soon after event.

If this was a training issue (not saying it is) the pilot/s will be supported if said training was approved and not hung out to dry. No-one was hurt, training even practice training needs to be done. No passenger flights are perfect for practice training and probably approved by such organisations.

*** Only my speculation as to a possible and in no way any bad reflection on RFDS or staff (in fact the opposite).

[Desert Flower]

Band, are you suggesting it was a training accident?
Report says pilot & passengers weren't injured, so therefore it would have been a regular clinic run.

DF.

[Band a Lot]

Report says pilot & passengers weren't injured, so therefore it would have been a regular clinic run.

DF.
Agree.

"All staff are well and safe and exited the plane safely. No patients were on board."

I remember do an emergency decent into Meeka, Flight nurse near rear door was way up there (seemed 70 degrees). Me and the LAME sitting behind Pilot & sure we had 2 pilots that day can not remember why - maybe only to help lift out the TPE331 we were carrying?

[Shaggy Dog]

How long ago was that Band ?
SD

[Band a Lot]

A long time ago SD, back when the RFDS had 3 TPE331's taken out within a week from memory.


1 was a roo, 2 got too close to dirt/mud on taxi. The person I would call my boss from then retired a few years ago.

Very strong ethics and compliance of rules was had back then, as I am sure still is.

[Shaggy Dog]

Band,
The insurance company would have been delighted with that.
Seem to recall something about those incidents, I had a little involvement with the RFDS over the years.
I may have known your boss.
SD

[Band a Lot]

TJ was big boss, DC was section boss, RH was EM and my boss RB was the LH.

I did the Cotton Creek job with another contractor RP. If I had to guess was around 1990. It would have been written off except the door mod.

[Shaggy Dog]

Band,
Knew them all.
I may have met your good self along the way.
SD

[Cloudee]

Final report out for the Moomba incident.
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2016/aair/ao-2016-170/

[bolthead]

Did the aircraft get repaired and back flying? I was going to say buffed out, but I'll leave that to someone else.

[thorn bird]

Well should be no problem with the investigation, lots of experience and background within the regulator.
Back in another era they were the record holders for wheels up landings.