What happened
The flight, operating as EI-3601, originally departed from Manchester (EGCC) for Shannon (EINN) with 21 passengers on board. After a routine initial flight leg, the aircraft began its approach to runway 24 at Shannon under challenging weather conditions characterized by heavy gusts and strong crosswinds. During the first approach attempt, the aircraft encountered significant turbulence, which caused it to strike the runway in a nose-down position and bounce.
Following this initial contact, the crew initiated a go-around and was directed by air traffic control to attempt a second approach. During this subsequent landing attempt, the aircraft again encountered turbulent air. The aircraft bounced multiple times before pitching forward into a heavy nose-down impact with the runway. This impact resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear, causing the aircraft to lose directional control and come to a stop at the intersection of the runway and a taxiway.
Upon the aircraft coming to a halt, the crew confirmed there was no smoke present in the cabin. An evacuation was subsequently carried out, and airport emergency services arrived quickly to assist the passengers. There were no injuries reported following the incident.
Findings
- The aircraft, an Aer Lingus service, suffered structural damage to the landing gear.
- The primary factor contributing to the accident was the severe turbulence and gusty crosswind conditions during the landing phase.