What happened
On May 1, 2005, a Widerøe flight, WIF 921, was performing a scheduled arrival at Hammerfest Airport. The aircraft, a DHC-8-103 with registration LN-WIK, departed from Tromsø with a crew of two pilots and one cabin attendant, carrying 26 paying passengers and one additional cabin staff member.
During the approach, the crew received updates regarding highly variable and gusty wind conditions. While the initial plan was to land on runway 23, the wind direction was shifting. As the aircraft approached runway 05, the wind suddenly veered and increased in strength, creating a significant tailwind component. This sudden change caused a sharp increase in the aircraft's descent rate. Although the captain attempted to compensate by applying full power, the aircraft was too low and struck the runway surface hard just inside the edge of runway 05.
The impact caused the right main landing gear to fail. The aircraft slid approximately 650 meters on its belly, with the right wing tip and a partially retracted right main wheel making contact with the ground. The aircraft eventually came to a halt near a taxiway. Following the impact, smoke and a burning odor entered the cabin, prompting an evacuation order. However, a delay of 33 seconds occurred between the captain's order and the start of the evacuation because the command failed to broadcast through the cabin's public address system.
The investigation
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) examined the wind conditions at the time of the accident, noting that the wind at the runway thresholds was highly unstable. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's structural damage, which included extensive impact damage to the right engine, propeller, gearbox, landing gear, wing, and fuselage. Additionally, investigators analyzed the airline's operational procedures regarding wind limitations on short runways and the functionality of the aircraft's communication systems during emergencies.