Catalina accident at Lelystad, 15-8-17

[Super VC-10]

Catalina PH-PBY has suffered a nose wheel up landing at Lelystad. Apparently no injuries amongst the 4 crew and 14 passengers. Aircraft doesn't appear to have suffered too much damage. Sources in Dutch.

Vliegtuig met neus op baan geland op Lelystad|Binnenland| Telegraaf.nl (http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/28938175/__Vliegtuigje_in_de_problemen__.html?)

Historisch vliegtuig Catalina maakt noodlanding op Lelystad Airport - Nieuws (http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/150338/lelystad-historisch-vliegtuig-catalina-maakt-noodlanding-op-lelystad-airport)

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=198363

[BobbyHowie]

This may be a stupid question but why didn't they land on water? Could they not raise their gear?

[Super VC-10]

I was wondering that too. Wheels up, land on water, recover aircraft with a dolly.

That said, it was an excellent landing though, and the above is in no way to be taken as criticism of the pilot. I wasn't there, so won't condemn them for their actions.

[treadigraph]

Apparently the nose wheel doors may have been partly opened - as you may recall, a passenger died when the old Plane Sailing Catalina sank in The Solent while landing in 2000 - the doors failed and the inrush of water ruptured a bulkhead.

An excellent landing indeed and hopefully minimal damage.

[Super VC-10]

Yes, Treadigraph, I remember that one. Fourteen pax on board may have had an influence on the decision to land at Lelystad.

[atakacs]

Well given the weather it was almost a water landing :ok:

[paulc]

Treadigraph,

2 people died in the Catalina crash in the Solent, the Mayor of Southampton and an airline worker from Eastleigh airport.

The Catalina has 2 pins that lock the front of the nose gear doors in place through a bulkhead. Those used as regular water bombers were often modified to have a 'flag' window that would be visible to the crew as a final check that the door pins were in place before operating on water. The original Plane Sailing one was never a water bomber so did not have this mod.

A water landing with possibly unsecure nose gears doors would not be a good idea.

[sunday driver]

In the Southampton accident, IIRC the root cause was the corrosion failure of one of the two torque tubes that rotate to open/close the nose wheel doors. Corrosion was caused by an unauthorised mod made back in the mists of time, viz a cork placed in the end of the tube, ostensibly to prevent the ingress of water, but additionally preventing its egress.

SD

[ex egbe]

My dad was part of the crew on that flight, fortunately got out