Incident Overview
On 15 April 2025, an ATR 72-212A, registration G-IACZ, operated a commercial passenger flight from London Gatwick to Cornwall Airport Newquay. The aircraft, manufactured in 2018 and powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M turboprop engines, was crewed by four and carried 38 passengers. The commander, aged 62, held an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 13,547 flight hours, including 1,298 hours on type.
Flight Sequence
The flight was part of a return service between Newquay and London Gatwick. The crew had initially rejected another aircraft due to water ingress on the flight deck but accepted G-IACZ as a replacement. The return sector proceeded normally, with the commander opting to fly the approach due to challenging weather conditions.
During the approach, when the flaps were selected to 30° for landing, cockpit indications showed they remained at 15°. Cabin crew confirmed the flaps had not extended. Recycling the flap lever had no effect, and the commander initiated a go-around. As the aircraft climbed, an intermittent airframe de-ice fault occurred, and the crew declared a MAYDAY. They decided to divert to Exeter Airport, where the flaps extended normally. The landing at Exeter was uneventful, though several unrelated anomalies were reported during ground taxi.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident, the operator conducted ground tests of the flap system, which revealed no faults. The AAIB downloaded the Flight Data Recorder, showing an anomaly with the flap command signal during the Newquay approach. This information was passed to the operator, who released the aircraft for further flight after functional testing. The aircraft completed several flights without recurrence until the flaps again stopped responding to selections. The operator consulted the aircraft manufacturer, who recommended replacing the flap selector switch. After replacement, no further flap problems were reported.
Outcome
No injuries to crew or passengers were reported, and no damage to the aircraft was noted. The incident was classified as a serious incident by the AAIB.