What happened
On the early morning of 3 January 1998, a Hawker Siddley 748-2A, registration G-BIUV, was performing a scheduled freight service from Liverpool to Dublin Airport. During the approach to Runway 28, the flight crew encountered moderate turbulence and significant crosswinds, with gusts reaching 40 knots. Due to these weather conditions, the pilot flying—who was undergoing line training—opted to use a 22-degree flap setting rather than the standard full flap configuration. The pilot not flying, acting as a line training captain, supported this decision, noting that the wind remained within the aircraft's operational limits.
While the initial touchdown on the runway was normal, the aircraft began to veer toward the right edge of the runway during deceleration. The pilot reported a total lack of response from the nose wheel steering tiller. Despite the crew's attempts to correct the course using full left rudder and aileron input, the aircraft departed the paved surface at the intersection with taxiway MIKE. The excursion caused damage to a taxiway edge light and the MIKE taxiway designation sign. The aircraft traveled approximately 200 feet onto the soft grass adjacent to the runway before becoming bogged down. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the mechanical state of the aircraft following the incident. A technical inspector performed a visual inspection of the braking and steering systems at Dublin Airport, followed by rigorous taxiing tests involving severe turns and differential braking. These tests revealed no mechanical defects in the steering or braking components. Subsequent inspections in Liverpool included minor maintenance, such as the replacement of two right-hand undercarriage tyres.
Findings
- The aircraft departed the runway due to a loss of nose wheel steering functionality during the landing roll.
- High winds and turbulence were present at the time of the incident, with gusts recorded up to 45 knots.
- The aircraft's excursion onto the grass led to the temporary closure of Runway 28/10 for several hours during the recovery process.
- Post-incident technical examinations failed to identify any underlying mechanical failure in the steering or brake systems.