Incident Overview
Date: Tuesday 10 April 1956
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada U-1A Otter (DHC-3)
Owner/operator: Royal Canadian Air Force – RCAF
Registration Number: 3666
Location: 10 km N of Goose Bay Airport, NL (YYR) –
ÿ Canada
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Left wingLeft wing
Category: Accident
An Otter 3666 aircraft experienced a catastrophic crash during an air test following repairs to the port inner trailing edge flap. A sudden and uncontrolled flap retraction caused a significant load increase, resulting in the nose dropping and subsequent wing breakage. The impact with the tailplane led to loss of control.An Otter 3666 aircraft experienced a catastrophic crash during an air test following repairs to the port inner trailing edge flap. A sudden and uncontrolled flap retraction caused a significant load increase, resulting in the nose dropping and subsequent wing breakage. The impact with the tailplane led to loss of control.
Description
An air test of Otter 3666 was planned following repairs on the port inner trailing edge flap. The airplane took off from runway 09 at 18:54 and climbed straight ahead. A sudden spontaneous full flap retraction caused the nose of the aircraft to drop. Loads on the wing exceeded the design strength, causing the left hand wing to break off. It struck the tailplane, causing the Otter to crash out of control.
Primary Cause
Sudden and uncontrolled flap retraction.Sudden and uncontrolled flap retraction.Share on:
