What happened
On 31 March 2024, at 06:18 UTC, an ATR 72-212A, registration 9H-NFR, operated by MelAir Ltd, experienced a runway excursion during landing at Melilla Airport (GEML). The flight, which originated from Almeria (LEAM), was performing a commercial passenger service.
During the approach to runway 15, the aircraft encountered significant turbulence and a strong crosswind. The weather conditions at the time included south-westerly winds of 20 knots with gusts up to 33 knots. Upon touchdown, the aircraft was unable to maintain its centerline. During the deceleration phase, the pilot flying attempted to adjust the aileron trim to the left; however, the aircraft banked excessively to the left. A subsequent attempt to trim the wings to the right caused the aircraft to veer sharply to the right. The aircraft exited the paved surface of the runway, momentarily traveling onto an unpaved area before returning to the runway and coming to a stop. There were no injuries among the 68 passengers and 4 crew members, and no damage was reported to the aircraft or airport infrastructure.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the flight crew's performance, the aircraft's technical state, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the incident. The investigation focused on the transition from the landing roll to the loss of directional control. Investigators analyzed the flight crew's management of the aircraft's controls in response to the variable gusts and the impact of the crosswind on the landing trajectory. The investigation also reviewed the airport's meteorological reporting and the operator's training and operational procedures.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the inadequate management of flight controls while operating in the presence of a crosswind with variable gusts.
- A contributing factor was the insufficient corrective action taken by the crew to recover the aircraft's runway axis, which allowed the excursion onto the unpaved area to occur.
- The flight crew was operating under significant environmental stress due to strong south-westerly winds and the presence of a mountain wave phenomenon in the area.