CEN10LA093

NTSB accident investigation · Dassault Falcon 20C · Eagle, CO · January 8, 2010

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 8, 2010, 12:25 local (19:25 UTC)
Place
Eagle, CO
Injuries
7 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
XA-PCCDassault Falcon 20C
Defining event
Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 22, 2010
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
BEA - Accredited Rep - French Government, FAA Flight Standards District Office
Case key
75251

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The flight crew’s improper preflight inspection and failure to remove the main landing gear wheel chock, resulting in damage and subsequent failure of the main landing gear tire during the takeoff roll.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Landing gear system: main landing gearAircraft › Aircraft systems · FailureAll aircraft: 241 casesProbable cause
Planning/preparationPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAll aircraft: 113 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

During taxi the airplane was observed to run over a tire chock with the left main gear tire. During a turn out of the ramp, the left main gear was observed to run over the nose gear chock that had been removed from the nose gear by the pilot during pre-flight. During the departure roll, the left main gear tire failed and the pilot elected to abort the takeoff attempt. The airplane did not stop on the remaining runway surface and departed the runway overrun area, coming to rest in snow-covered terrain. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.

Factual narrative

On January 8, 2010, at 1225 mountain standard time, a Dassault Falcon 20C, Mexican registered XA-PCC, was substantially damaged during a runway overrun at Eagle County Regional Airport (KEGE), Eagle, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The international passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The captain, first officer, and five passengers were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to General Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport (MMCU), Chihuahua, Mexico. According to a telephone conversation with the airport manager, the left main landing gear tire "blew" during the departure roll. The captain was unable to stop the airplane in the distance remaining. The airplane proceeded 400 feet past the departure end and overrun area of the runway, into deep snow, resulting in both main landing gear collapsing and the right wing buckling. Examination of the wreckage revealed that both main gear tires were flat, and the left side main gear tire was fragmented with its parts found on the runway. An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The FAA did note that there appeared to be a crease or shallow laceration that went across the tire tread on the left main landing gear tire. During a follow-up telephone conversation with the pilot, his perception was that the right side main gear tire failed during the take-off roll, not the left side tire. He further advised that he had not struck anything with the aircraft’s tires on the ramp while taxiing or on the runway during the take-off roll. In addition, he stated that the malfunction occurred at the 120-knot mark, that there were no anomalies with the airplanes braking systems, and that he simply could not stop on the remaining runway following the malfunction. The captain did not return the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report 6120.1/2 form despite several attempts from the Safety Board to obtain the required report. During pre-flight, the pilot was observed to remove the tire chock from the nose gear, but did not remove the tire chock from the left main gear. One witness heard the engines of the aircraft “spool up” to a high RPM (revolutions per minute) and then decrease speed as the airplane taxied over the left main gear tire chock. During the subsequent turn out of the ramp area, the airplane then taxied over the nose gear chock with the left main gear. A ramp agent heard the airplane increase in engine power and once in motion, taxi over the nose gear chock with the left main gear.

Aircraft

Registration
XA-PCC
Reported as
Dassault Falcon 20C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
159
Engines
General Electric CF-700-2D2, 2,040 lbs thrustGeneral Electric CF-700-2D2, 2,040 lbs thrust
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Aerotaxis dos mil
Registered owner
Aerotaxis dos mil
Airworthiness certificate
Unknown
Departed
KEGE · Eagle, CO
Destination
MMCU · Chihuahua
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
KEGE · Eagle County Airport, runway 25, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
63
Injuries
None
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
11,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model
Role
Co-pilot
Age
70
Injuries
None
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Seat
Right

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
9 °F, dew point -0 °F
Altimeter
30.39 inHg
Observed at
KEGE, 1 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 313 KB in all.