Unusual RTO Event

[pelmet]

From TSB....

C-GKPX, a Swearingen SA-226-TC operated by 2080061 Ontario Inc. (dba SkyCare Air
Ambulance), was conducting IFR flight PHX264 from Thunder Bay International Airport (CYQT),
ON, to Sioux Lookout Airport (CYXL), ON. The aircraft taxied for takeoff from Runway 07, lining up
with centre of the runway at the intersection of Runway 12/21. The power levers were advanced,
the flight crew saw 2 positive torques, the BETA lights extinguished, and takeoff power was set.
The aircraft accelerated to 80 knots normally. The pilot flying applied up elevator to reduce the
weight on the nose wheel. Shortly after raising the nose wheel, the flight crew felt the aircraft pull
hard left and a call was made to reject the takeoff. During the recovery with slippery runway
conditions and reduced traction, the aircraft started to swerve. The aircraft turned to the right, then
back to the left, and back to the right. Control of the aircraft was regained with the use of braking,
nose wheel steering and reverse power. The flight crew at some point in the recovery process felt
a thud on the left main gear. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway centreline. The flight crew
asked Thunder Bay Radio to close their flight plan and advised that they were returning to the
apron. On the apron, the flight crew shutdown the engines and exited the aircraft. Upon exiting the
aircraft, the flight crew noticed a significant amount of fuel leaking from the left inner wing and gear
area. The crew requested assistance from the operator’s maintenance and the airport refueller to
control the fuel leak.

The operator’s maintenance inspected the aircraft and found structural damage to the left nacelle
area skins and the left main gear attachment points. An airfield inspection found no runway lights
were damaged. A runway condition report issued 1 hour before the event reported that Runway
07’s centre 100-foot width had 30% coverage of 1/8 inch dry snow and the remaining runway width
reported as 6 inches in dry snow. A runway condition report issued approximately 45 minutes after
the event reported that Runway 07’s centre 120-foot width was 20% coverage of 1/8 inch dry snow
and 30% coverage of frost with the remaining runway width reported as 11 inches in dry snow.

[digits_]

Weird, why would you want to reduce weight on the nose wheel on an asphalt runway?