What happened
During the landing phase at RAF Colerne, an aircraft experienced a mechanical failure immediately upon contact with the runway. As the aircraft touched down, the undercarriage was sheared from the airframe. This structural failure caused the plane to slide along the ground on its belly until it eventually came to a halt.
While the impact and subsequent skid resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair, there were no casualties reported. Both members of the crew escaped the incident without any injuries.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the shearing of the undercarriage during the touchdown sequence.