Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Gulfstream G-IV, N277GM: Accident occurred August 21, 2021 at Fort Lauderdale-Executive Airport (KFXE), Broward County, Florida

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation; Savanna, Georgia Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Accident Number: ERA21LA336
Date & Time: August 21, 2021, 13:40 Local 
Registration: N277GM
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE G-IV
Injuries: 14 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On August 21, 2021, about 1340 eastern daylight time, a Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV airplane, N277GM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The four crew members and 10 passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that after a routine taxi to the runway he initiated the takeoff on runway 9. As the takeoff roll progressed, he recalled that the normal callouts were made, and nothing was abnormal until the airplane reached about 100 to 110 knots, at which point he felt a “terrible shimmy” that “progressively got worse and worse.” He initiated an immediate aborted takeoff with braking and thrust reversers and it seemed that the airplane was slowing; however, the airplane veered off the runway and the right main landing gear struck a concrete slab holding approach lighting equipment. The airplane came to a stop shortly after impacting the concrete slab.

The second-in-command pilot reported that the taxi and initial takeoff roll were normal. As the airplane passed through 80 knots, he recalled feeling a “slight shimmy” and “a little rattle” between the rudder pedals, which “intensified dramatically.” The PIC then aborted the takeoff by reducing the power to idle, applying thrust reversers, and applying brakes. During the abort procedure, the nose dropped, and it became apparent that “the nose gear collapsed.” The airplane continued to maintain the runway centerline for a short period of time but then veered to the right, off the runway and came to a stop. He then opened the main cabin door, and the passengers immediately exited.

A third non-type rated observer pilot seated in the jump-seat reported a similar account of the accident sequence.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the accident site the day of the accident. The airplane came to rest in a sandy grass area about 200 ft to the right of the runway 9 centerline. The left main landing gear did not collapse; however, the right main landing gear was displaced upward and punctured the inboard aft section of the right wing which resulted in substantial damage.

Examination of the runway and surrounding grass areas found several items of debris. Moving east in the direction of the takeoff roll, the first component located on the runway was the nose landing gear (NLG) pip pin that is normally seated in the NLG torque link. It was found about 2,215 ft from the main wreckage. Continuing down the runway, about 1,315 ft from the main wreckage, the bulk of the NLG shock strut assembly, trunnion and truss, both tires, and lower scissor link were located intact and impact damaged. The safety pin, that normally is installed through the NLG pip pin was found intact with the separated NLG still attached to its lanyard cord.

The NLG upper scissor link was located in the grass a few hundred feet from the runway centerline. Figure 1 shows a still image captured by the FXE Airport Authority drone shortly after the accident. Additional photographs have been added to the drone image to show the location of swivel tire marks and where components were located on the runway as noted with the red circles.


The airplane was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which were removed and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, District of Columbia, for download. The wreckage was retained for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE
Registration: N277GM
Model/Series: G-IV NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: FXE,14 ft msl
Observation Time: 13:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 34°C /23°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 130°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.99 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE)
Destination: Las Vegas, NV (LAS)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 4 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 10 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 14 None
Latitude, Longitude: 26.198586,-80.165403 

5 comments:

  1. No comments on this as to what happened theoretically after a month on KR? Wow. That's a first.

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  2. So they forgot to remove the Nose gear Safety Pin??

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  3. The PIP Pin referenced in the report is a large version (about 7/8" in diameter) which connects the upper and lower scissor link halves together. It is typically removed for towing so as not to damage the steering unit during towing. The pin would have to be installed in order to have steering to work but it has 2 safety devices to prevent it from coming out, a clip on retainer on the left side and a safety pin on the right side. Both are attached to the strut assembly via steel lanyards. With either installed the scissor pin will not come out.

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  4. Correction to previous comment, the pin connects the scissor (upper and lower as an assembly) to the steering unit thus connecting the steering unit which is on the upper part of the strut to the lower part of the strut which houses the axel and wheels. Not sure what caused the upper and lower halves of the scissor to separate but the pip pin (disconnect pin) should not have come out.

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  5. Several times I have heard of NWS shimmy causing damage. Could be the NLG WOW opened and turned off NWS. But the steering manifold should hold pressure to prevent this. Happened to a NetJets GIV in Texas after landing some years ago.

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