What happened
On the night of 12 June 2002, a Shorts 360, registration G-SSWR, was performing a scheduled cargo flight from Coventry Airport to Dublin Airport. The flight was operating as public transport. Upon arrival, the weather conditions were favorable, with good visibility and minimal cloud cover. The aircraft landed on Runway 16, which was the active runway at the time.
As the aircraft decelerated along the runway, the captain assumed directional control via the left-side steering tiller. While the crew was acknowledging taxi instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to vacate the runway via the Echo 1 taxiway, the aircraft reached the end of the paved surface. The nose wheel of the aircraft entered the grass area, resulting in a runway excursion. The incident caused a temporary closure of Dublin Airport for approximately 67 minutes, during which one flight was diverted to Belfast.
The investigation
Investigators examined the site of the excursion and identified a 27-meter skid mark that began at the runway end markings and extended to the edge of the pavement. The investigation focused on the visibility of the taxiway markings and lighting. The captain noted that the end of the runway appeared very dark, making it difficult to identify the Echo 1 turn-off.
During the site visit, the investigator observed that the taxiway lights and the EI sign were not illuminated. Although the airport operator had conducted a lighting inspection shortly before the incident and found the system serviceable, the controller on duty could not definitively confirm the status of the Echo 1 lights at the moment of the aircraft's arrival.
Findings
- The aircraft exited the runway pavement and entered the grass area.
- The pilot experienced difficulty identifying the specific taxiway exit due to insufficient visibility of the Echo 1 turn-off.
- At the time of the investigation, the taxiway lights and signage were found to be unlit.