Incident Overview
At 1401 local time, Widerøe flight WIF 921 departed Tromsø Airport (ENTC) for Hammerfest Airport (ENHF) with an estimated arrival of 1442. The aircraft, a DHC-8-103 registered LN-WIK, carried a crew of two pilots and one cabin attendant, 26 fare-paying passengers, and one passive cabin attendant. Earlier that day, the crew had departed from Hammerfest without weather-related issues.
Approach and Weather Conditions
During the approach, the crew was informed of variable and occasionally gusty winds from the south-east. The wind direction favored runway 23, and the crew initially planned to land there. The copilot, who was pilot flying (PF) and newly hired under supervision, later handed control to the commander, who continued the approach to runway 05. The AFIS operator provided updates on wind conditions, which at times favored runway 05.
Hard Landing and Gear Failure
Shortly before touchdown, the wind veered to the right and strengthened, creating a significant tail wind component. This caused a marked increase in descent rate. The commander applied full power in an attempt to arrest the descent, but the aircraft was too low. The airplane touched down hard just inside the runway edge on runway 05. The impact caused the right main landing gear leg to fail. The aircraft then slid on its belly, with the right partially retracted main wheel and wing tip contacting the ground, for approximately 650 meters. It came to a stop just after the second turnoff (TWY B) to the apron.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
Fire and rescue vehicles arrived quickly and sprayed foam on the aircraft to prevent fire. Inside, the cabin attendant calmed passengers who were eager to exit due to smoke and a burning smell in the cabin. The commander ordered evacuation, but it took 33 seconds to initiate because the order did not transmit through the cabin's Public Address (PA) system.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that Widerøe permitted landings with up to the maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 36 knots and up to 10 knots of tail wind during short field operations. The AIBN recommended that Widerøe review its wind limitations and prohibit tail wind component during landings on short runways in conditions with large variations in wind direction and strength. A total of seven safety recommendations were issued.