What happened
On 30 December 2023, an ATR 72-212 A, registration G-CMMT, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Edinburgh Airport to Belfast City Airport. During the arrival, the flight crew encountered gusty winds, with surface winds reported from the south-east. The initial approach to Runway 22 was aborted as the aircraft became destabilised near the decision height.
On the subsequent approach, the flight remained stable until the flare phase. During this final stage of the landing, wind effects caused the aircraft to lose stability, resulting in a firm touchdown on the left main landing gear. The aircraft then bounced and struck the runway a second time with significant force, making contact with the nose landing gear first. The commander immediately initiated a go-around, and the aircraft diverted to Belfast Aldergrove Airport, where it landed without further incident. There were no injuries to the 4 crew members or 53 passengers on board.
The investigation
The AAIB examined flight data and the cockpit voice recorder to reconstruct the sequence of events. The investigation confirmed that both approaches were stable at 1,000 ft and that the crew was operating effectively. While the reported crosswind was within the recommended limits, the aircraft's airspeed became unstable below 500 ft, specifically increasing significantly as the aircraft descended through 70 ft.
Physical inspections of the aircraft revealed that the nosewheel tyres were damaged and the left nosewheel axle was slightly bent. Analysis of the flight data recorded an acceleration of approximately 2.2 g in the normal axis during the impact. The manufacturer determined that the loads exceeded design limits for both the left main landing gear and the nose landing gear, necessitating their replacement.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown due to destabilisation caused by wind effects during the flare.
- The nose landing gear and left main landing gear were subjected to structural loads beyond their allowable limits.