Yesterday at noon, the crew of IA-63 Pampa III A-711 had to perform an emergency landing on the runway of the Escuela de Aviación Militar (Military Aviation School) after the nose landing gear experienced a failure preventing its deployment. Thanks to the skill of the pilot from the Argentine Air Force Flight Test Center, combined with ground support, the crew managed to overcome the situation without major incidents, although the aircraft suffered some damage in the process.
The incident occurred during a test flight with the Pampa III, an aircraft delivered by the Argentine Aircraft Factory “Brigadier San Martín” (FAdeA) to the Air Force at the end of December 2023. Once the issue was reported on A-711, the emergency protocol was immediately activated, including the deployment of the Fire and Rescue Service with fire trucks (including one of the MB Zetros 6×6 with the Buffalo kit), ambulances, and support vehicles. Preparatory work involved spraying the runway with foam to reduce sparks due to friction and the possibility of a fire in case of fuel spillage.
It’s important to note that the landing of Pampa A-711 was not immediate; the aircraft performed a series of circuits to consume fuel, as seen in the viralized videos.
Finally, the landing took place minutes before 1:00 PM, showcasing the pilot’s skill from the Flight Test Center. Once A-711 stopped without the nose gear deployed, the crew disembarked from the aircraft on their own.
A-711 is one of the three IA-63 Pampas included in the Multi-Year Contract approved in 2021 for modernization to the Pampa III Block II standard. After several years out of service, FAdeA successfully completed the recovery and upgrade of Pampa II-40 E-811, commencing test flights in November 2023. The new Pampa III received the new registration A-711, destined for the 10th Air Brigade.
Official details about the incident have not been released at the moment. Regarding the aircraft, a detailed assessment of the damages and a probable estimation of the repair time will likely be available in the coming days.
Cover image courtesy of a follower
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