What happened
On 18 August 2007, an Avro RJ100, registration HB-IYU, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Zurich to London City Airport. The aircraft was executing a steep ILS approach to Runway 28, which is characteristic of operations at this airfield. While the approach was initially stable, the crew experienced a sudden sensation of the aircraft "dropping" when the radio altitude was between 50 and 30 feet.
In an effort to prevent a hard landing, the pilot flying applied significant back pressure on the control column. This caused the aircraft's pitch attitude to increase sharply to 9.3 degrees. Consequently, the rear of the aircraft made contact with the runway, causing substantial damage to the lower aft fuselage and the rear galley drain pipe. There were no fatalities and no injuries among the 5 crew members or 88 passengers on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined flight data from the FDR and CVR, alongside an inspection of the aircraft's structure. The investigation established that the aircraft was in a low-energy state due to speeds being below target values. The engineering analysis found no mechanical faults with the Air Data Computer or other systems. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's descent rate was approximately 900 feet per minute just before the event, and the wind had shifted from a headwind to a slight tailwind during the final stages of the approach.
Findings
- The primary cause was the excessive pitch attitude at touchdown resulting from the pilot's instinctive reaction to a perceived sink rate.
- The aircraft was flying below the required target speeds for the approach.
- A reduction in thrust at the start of the flare, combined with a loss of headwind, contributed to the sudden drop felt by the crew.
- The aircraft's pitch attitude exceeded the manufacturer's recommended limit of 7 degrees for such approaches.
- Meteorological conditions included turbulence and a wind shift that made the approach more challenging.