What happened
On 27 September 2009, a private flight involving an X’Air Falcon, registration G-CCVJ, was performing an approach to Runway 26 at Newtownards Aerodrome in County Down, Northern Ireland. The approach initially appeared routine; however, as the pilot attempted the flare, the aircraft experienced a sudden and significant sink rate. This heavy touchdown caused the aircraft to veer toward the left, eventually coming to a halt on the grass area situated to the left of the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot during the incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure and the environmental conditions present during the landing. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the axle supporting the left mainwheel had fractured. The pilot noted that the descent rate increased sharply at the start of the flare, which likely contributed to the impact force. Meteorological data indicated that wind conditions at the time were from 250° at 17 knots. It was determined that wind effects, potentially influenced by the proximity of nearby Scrabo Hill, may have caused the sudden loss of altitude during the landing sequence.