Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

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. 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.