What happened
On May 29, 2004, at 10:15 local time, a BAe 146-300, registration G-BPNT, was performing a positioning flight from London Southend to Florence. During the final approach to runway 05, the aircraft was stabilized on the ILS at 11 NM. While the crew was cleared to land, the aircraft encountered significant wind variability.
At approximately 08:13 UTC, the crew initiated a missed approach maneuver. During this climb-out, the pilot failed to follow the specific missed approach procedure published in the AIP Italia, which requires a right-hand turn; instead, the aircraft turned left, contrary to the instructions provided by the Florence Tower controller. During the execution of this maneuver, the rear part of the fuselage struck the runway, resulting in structural damage to the tail skid. The aircraft subsequently completed a standard circuit and landed safely on runway 05 at 08:31 UTC.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation utilized Flight Data Recorder (FDR) analysis to reconstruct the approach. The data revealed that the aircraft remained stable until approximately 100 feet above the ground, at which point a sudden change in flight parameters—specifically attitude and airspeed—occurred. The investigation also noted that the crew did not immediately report the impact to Air Traffic Control or airport authorities. The incident only came to light when an ENAC official observed the crew inspecting the fuselage for damage while the aircraft was parked.
Findings
- The primary cause of the event was a sudden change in wind direction and intensity (wind shear) occurring below 100 feet, which led to a rapid reduction in airspeed.
- The crew's attempt to compensate for the loss of speed was only partially successful.
- The impact was exacerbated by the aircraft being on an approach path below the prescribed glide slope.
- The pilot initiated the missed approach maneuver too late.
- The crew failed to follow the established missed approach procedure (turning left instead of right) and did not notify authorities of the runway strike.