Incident Overview

Date: Monday 10 July 1972
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47B-30-DK (DC-3)
Owner/operator: Saudi Arabian Airlines
Registration Number: HZ-AAK
Location: Tabuk Airport (TUU) – ÿ Saudi Arabia
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 26
Component Affected: Landing gearLanding gear
Category: Accident
A co-pilot initiated a left turn during takeoff and flight to Tebuk, resulting in a veering to the left and subsequent runway excursion. Left engine power exacerbated the maneuver, causing excessive side loads on the landing gear, leading to damage and ultimately a landing with a significant left turn and subsequent slide. The aircraft ultimately came to rest on a heading of 140 degrees.A co-pilot initiated a left turn during takeoff and flight to Tebuk, resulting in a veering to the left and subsequent runway excursion. Left engine power exacerbated the maneuver, causing excessive side loads on the landing gear, leading to damage and ultimately a landing with a significant left turn and subsequent slide. The aircraft ultimately came to rest on a heading of 140 degrees.

Description

At Gurayat, the co-pilot made the take-off and flew the flight to Tebuk. After he landed the aircraft on runway 31, it veered to the left. Application of left engine power caused the aircraft to veer to the right where it subsequently left the right side of the runway. the left wind was down as the aircraft left the runway / scraping the runway and hitting a mound of dirt off the runway. The aircraft then began a left groundloop. At about 90 deg of groundloop, the aircraft started sliding to the right causing excessive side loads on the landing gear. The landing gear began to be torn from the aircraft at this point and the aircraft continued to turn to the left. at about 170 degs of turn, the aircraft began to slide backwards with the engines being separated form the firewalls. The aircraft came to rest on a heading of 140 degs mag. There was no fire. most probable cause of the accident: The inability of the pilot to regain control of the aircraft from the co-pilot due to apparently heavy pressures exerted on the flight controls by the co-pilot. Failure of the co-pilot to completely release the controls.

Primary Cause

Pilot error ? inability to regain control due to excessive control pressure exerted by co-pilot.Pilot error ? inability to regain control due to excessive control pressure exerted by co-pilot.

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