What happened
On 8 June 1998, a BN2A Mk.III-2 Trislander, registration G-BEVT, was conducting a scheduled passenger service between Jersey and Guernsey. Shortly after departing from Runway 27 at Jersey Airport, the pilot identified a failure in the left engine. In response, the commander feathered the propeller of the affected engine and increased power to the remaining two engines to maintain a target speed of 80 knots.
Unable to maintain a climb, the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing on a nearby beach. The aircraft turned into the wind and the crew notified Air Traffic Control of their intentions. The aircraft touched down on the sand, and the remaining engines were shut down and feathered. All 16 passengers and the pilot evacuated the aircraft safely without injury. The aircraft sustained no damage and was able to fly off the beach later that day.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the aircraft's performance, the pilot's training, and the loading procedures. Investigators reviewed radar recordings, which confirmed the aircraft began tracking left shortly after takeoff and reached a maximum height of approximately 200 feet above aerodrome level. The investigation also looked into the aircraft's weight, finding that an arithmetic error by a handling agent had resulted in the aircraft departing 23 kg above its Maximum Take Off Weight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the inability to climb was the engine failure combined with a lack of confidence in the aircraft's performance under the circumstances.
- The pilot's training for engine failures had been conducted at simulated weights rather than at maximum takeoff weights, meaning the handling characteristics of a heavy aircraft during an engine loss had not been fully experienced.
- A southerly wind caused turbulence, which further degraded climb performance.
- The pilot's decision to land on the beach may have been influenced by local training customs, where instructors frequently practice forced landings on that specific stretch of beach.
- An error in the loadsheet meant the aircraft was slightly overweight at departure.