What happened
On 22 May 2020, a BAe ATP, registration SE-MAO, was performing a cargo flight from Guernsey to Birmingham International Airport. During the arrival, the aircraft encountered strong south-westerly winds, with gusts reaching up of 27 knots.
The crew initially attempted a landing on Runway 33, but the aircraft drifted significantly during the flare. The co-pilot initiated a go-around, but a communication breakdown occurred when the commander requested to continue the landing. This resulted in the aircraft touching down approximately 20° left of the runway centerline.
On a second approach, flown by the commander, the aircraft again touched down misaligned with the runway. As the aircraft began to veer left, the commander applied full right rudder and full right aileron. This caused the left main gear to lift off the runway, and the aircraft subsequently departed the paved surface. The aircraft travelled approximately 450 m off the runway before returning to the paved area. There were no injuries to the two crew members and no damage was reported to the aircraft or the airfield.
The investigation
The AAIB examined flight data from the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, alongside CCTV and witness video. The investigation focused on the crew's handling of the aircraft during the high-workload landing phase and the effectiveness of their training.
Investigators noted that the crew did not adequately brief the crosswind landing techniques or the handover of controls. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the crew's experience levels, noting that both pilots were relatively new to the aircraft type and had not recently practiced landings in such significant crosswind conditions.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the failure to use the correct crosswind landing technique, specifically the lack of into-wind aileron during the landing roll.
- The commander's application of full right aileron was likely an inappropriate automatic motor response, attempting to 'steer' the aircraft as one would a car.
- A breakdown in crew coordination occurred during the first approach when a go-around decision was not clearly communicated or understood.
- The crew's relative inexperience with the aircraft type in strong crosswinds contributed to the misalignment at touchdown.
- The crew failed to brief the specific requirements for control handover or the management of the aircraft in high-wind conditions.