ATR 72 nosewheel tyre damaged during runway excursion at East Midlands

Casualties unknown • East Midlands Airport, GB

A cargo flight operating an ATR 72 experienced a loss of directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a collision with a runway edge light.

What happened

On 25 October 2022, an ATR 72-211, registration G-CLNK, was performing a cargo flight from Jersey Airport to East Midlands Airport. The aircraft arrived at the airfield during the evening, encountering a light crosswind of approximately 12 knots.

Following a stabilized approach and touchdown on Runway 09, the aircraft began to decelerate. As the speed dropped through 8 and 0 knots, the aircraft suddenly swerved to the right. The commander attempted to correct the deviation using the nosewheel tiller, but noted that the right wing began to lift. To regain control, the crew applied left rudder and differential braking. During the excursion, the aircraft struck a runway edge light, which resulted in damage to the nosewheel tyre.

The investigation

The investigation examined flight data, CCTV footage, and the crew's previous flying experience. It was noted that the commander had recently completed a type conversion and had limited experience operating this specific aircraft in significant crosswinds.

Analysis of the flight data revealed that there was minimal aileron input into the wind during the ground roll. Furthermore, while the crew eventually used rudder and braking to recover, the initial attempt to straighten the aircraft relied on the nosewheel tiller. The investigation also reviewed manufacturer guidance, which recommends using the rudder for directional corrections above 70 knots and emphasizes the importance of maintaining aileron input into the wind to prevent the upwind wing from lifting.

Findings

  • The primary cause of the loss of directional control was insufficient aileron input into the wind, which allowed the crosswind to lift the upwind wing and induce a weather-vane effect.
  • The recovery process was delayed because the crew initially attempted to use the nosewheel tiller rather than the rudder to correct the heading deviation.
  • The commander's reliance on the tiller may have been a learned behavior from a previous aircraft type.
  • The light nature of the crosswind likely led the pilot to underestimate the need for proactive aileron input.

Probable cause

The aircraft swerved due to a lack of sufficient aileron input into the wind, which caused the upwind wing to lift; the subsequent use of the nosewheel tiller instead of the rudder hindered the timely recovery of directional control.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2022-10-25 ATR 72-211 accident near East Midlands Airport, GB?

A cargo flight operating an ATR 72 experienced a loss of directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a collision with a runway edge light.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2022-10-25 involved a ATR 72-211, registration G-CLNK , at East Midlands Airport, GB.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft swerved due to a lack of sufficient aileron input into the wind, which caused the upwind wing to lift; the subsequent use of the nosewheel tiller instead of the rudder hindered the timely recovery of directional control.

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