On April 14, 2023, a Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. British Aerospace Jetstream Model 3112 aircraft departed Fort Smith Airport in Northwest Territories on a visual flight rules training flight with the captain and first officer on board.
The training flight consisted of several exercises, including a VOR RWY 12 circling approach for Runway 30 with a simulated single engine followed by an emergency evacuation procedure after landing. During the initial landing flare, the aircraft ballooned, and the captain corrected the flight path.
The first officer subsequently landed the aircraft at 1230. However, during the rollout, the left main landing gear unit collapsed, and the captain took control of the aircraft.
The aircraft skidded off the runway approximately 1880 feet beyond the threshold, contacting and severing a runway edge light. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
The aircraft remained upright during the landing but was substantially damaged due to a failed spigot housing in the left main landing gear unit. An investigation into the incident is underway to determine the cause of the failure.
The British Aerospace Jetstream 3100 series aircraft is a turboprop aircraft with a seating capacity of 19 passengers, and only two aircraft of this type were being operated in Canada at the time of the occurrence.
The incident highlights the importance of regular maintenance and inspections to prevent equipment failures. The failure of the spigot housing in the left main landing gear unit was a critical factor in the accident, emphasizing the need for adherence to maintenance schedules and inspection requirements as outlined by regulatory bodies such as EASA.
