What happened
On 8 December 1999, a Fokker F27 Mark 500, registration G-BVOB, was performing a cargo flight approaching Runway 27 at Liverpool Airport. The weather conditions at the time were characterized by significant turbulence, with surface winds from 240° at 27 knots and gusts reaching 33 knots. Due to the turbulent conditions, the commander increased the approach speed by 5 knots.
As the aircraft crossed the runway threshold, the pilot noted fluctuations in indicated airspeed of approximately 10 knots. To manage the 15-knot mean crosswind, the pilot utilized a mix of crab and wing-down techniques. During the final stages of the approach, the throttles were reduced, and the pilot used the elevator to check the sink rate. The resulting touchdown was described as firm. Following the shutdown of the engines, an engineer alerted the pilot to a tailscrape incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the physical damage to the aircraft and the flight techniques employed during the landing. The aircraft sustained damage to the tail skid and the rear underside of the fuselage. Specifically, a hole measuring 12 inches by 2.5 inches was found in the fuselage skin near the rear of the pressure bulkhead, and minor scraping was noted on the under-fuselage skin extending 4.5 feet forward of the bulkhead.
Findings
- The landing occurred during high turbulence and gusty crosswind conditions.
- The pilot reduced power significantly just before touchdown.
- The reduction of power immediately before touchdown caused a loss of lift and an unarrested increase in the descent rate.
- While closing the throttles is a standard technique for the F27 under normal conditions, doing so in gusty winds contributed to the firm touchdown and subsequent tailscrape.