What happened
On 10 October 2000, an ATR72-212, registration G-BYTP, was operating a public transport flight originally scheduled from London Gatwick to Jersey. During the flight, the crew encountered significant turbulence, leading to multiple aborted approach attempts at Jersey. Due to changing weather and airport closures, the flight was diverted to Bournemouth Airport.
During the final approach at Bournemouth, the aircraft was flying at a speed significantly higher than the target approach speed. The commander disengaged the autopilot at 230 feet above the ground. The aircraft touched down in a nose-down attitude, which triggered a sequence of increasingly severe bounces. In an attempt to keep the aircraft on the runway, the commander applied sustained nose-down elevator input. This action exacerbated the bouncing, eventually leading to the collapse of the nose landing gear. The aircraft slid along the runway, causing damage to the fuselage and the gear, before coming to a rest. All 40 passengers and 4 crew members evacuated the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, flight recorder data, and the meteorological environment. The investigation focused on the sequence of touchdowns and the aerodynamic factors contributing to the instability. Investigators analyzed the flight data recorder (DFDR), though they noted significant data loss during periods of high g-loading. The investigation also looked into the crew's workload, the impact of the turbulence on the aircraft's flight control systems, and the effectiveness of the cargo securing methods used during the flight.
Findings
- The aircraft approached the runway at an excess speed of approximately 18 knots above the target speed, which was likely due to the use of icing-condition speed schedules despite no actual ice being present on the airframe.
- The pilot's use of sustained nose-down elevator during the bounces increased the severity of the subsequent impacts.
- The aircraft's nose landing gear failed because the heavy impacts caused the right pivot pin to pull out of its fuselage frame.
- High levels of turbulence caused the 'FLT CTL' caution light to illuminate due to the independent movement of the alpha probes, a phenomenon not fully understood by the crew.
- The rear baggage area was inadequately secured, allowing luggage to shift forward and partially obstruct an emergency exit.
- High workload and frequent communications with air traffic control and company operations contributed to the crew's diminished monitoring capacity.