Hercules suffers nose gear collapse
Date: 26 January 2010
By Dean Wingrin
The main runway at AFB Waterkloof has been closed after a four-engine transport aircraft suffered a nose-gear collapse.
Unconfirmed reports have stated that the C-130BZ Hercules was performing a ‘touch-and-go' at the airbase near Centurion at approximately 7.00 PM last night. This is a training procedure during with an aircraft approaches the runway to land, it's wheels briefly touch the runway before the aircraft takes-off again.
The crew had confirmed to the control tower that the undercarriage was down and that they had three green indicator lights in the cockpit, indicating that the two main wheels and the nose wheel was down and locked. Shortly thereafter the crew radioed a distress message stating that they believed a tyre had burst.
The Hercules was still on the runway on Tuesday morning with what appeared to be a collapsed nose undercarriage.
It is not know how serious the damage is or the cause of the collapse. We are still awaiting official comment from the SAAF.
