What happened
On the evening of 4 October 2016, an Aeroprakt-22L light sport aircraft, registration A6-XGG, operated by Jazirah Aviation Club, was conducting a recreational flight near Ras Al Khaimah. The flight, which included the pilot and one passenger, began as a short pleasure flight. However, as the aircraft was in transit, the club's operations department notified the pilot of changing weather conditions and requested an immediate return to the aerodrome.
As the aircraft approached the airfield, visibility dropped to less than 1 km due to widespread blowing dust. Unable to identify the runway or local landmarks through the haze, the pilot opted to divert to a sandy area on Marjan Island. During the approach to the selected landing site, the pilot encountered wind speeds between 15 and 20 knots. While the initial touchdown was uneventful, the aircraft encountered a series of ditches during the landing roll. The aircraft entered a second ditch, approximately 130 centimeters deep, which caused the plane to slowly capsize into an upside-down position. There were no injuries to the occupants, but the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The GCAA AAIS investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the diversion and the subsequent landing. Investigators examined the pilot's decision-making process regarding weather minima and the procedures followed during the off-field landing. The inquiry also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance records, which showed no mechanical defects, and analyzed the meteorological reports for the period, confirming that visibility had significantly degraded due to dust.
Findings
- The pilot's decision to fly into deteriorating weather was not in alignment with the club's established operations manual.
- The pilot failed to overfly the landing site to scout for hazards, a result of time pressure caused by approaching sunset and worsening visibility.
- Because the site was not properly scouted, the pilot was unaware of the ditches present in the landing area.
- The pilot chose not to use maximum braking during the landing roll to prevent the nose wheel from digging into the sand, which contributed to the aircraft entering the ditches.
- The pilot utilized a flap setting that was not recommended by the manufacturer's flight manual for the prevailing wind conditions.