What happened
On the evening of the incident, the BAe Jetstream 31 aircraft, registration G-GAVA, departed Belfast City Airport for a scheduled service to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The flight was operated by a crew of two pilots and carried one passenger. The flight proceeded normally through the departure and cruise phases, arriving at Doncaster Sheffield under stable weather conditions with good visibility and light winds.
Upon arrival, the flight crew requested and received radar vectors to perform a visual approach to Runway 20. The aircraft landed at 1836 hrs, maintaining the required approach speed. Following touchdown, the pilot transitioned the engines to ground idle and engaged reverse thrust. As the aircraft decelerated to approximately 65 kt, the left wing suddenly dropped, causing the aircraft to yaw toward the left. The pilot attempted to regain directional control using the rudder and nosewheel steering tiller, but was unsuccessful.
The aircraft exited the left side of the runway and came to a stop on the grass after turning roughly 90 degrees. During the excursion, the left landing gear collapsed, leaving the aircraft resting on its left wing, the right landing gear, and the baggage compartment. To mitigate fire risks, the pilot shut down the engines and cut the electrical master switch to emergency off.
Findings
Following the stop, the crew initiated an evacuation. The co-pilot checked the cabin and confirmed the passenger was uninjured. Although the left rear cabin door could not open fully because the aircraft's sill was at ground level, all three occupants successfully exited the aircraft. There were zero fatalities and zero injuries reported. Emergency services arrived on the scene within minutes of the aircraft coming to a halt.