AT43, Jersey Channel Islands, 2012

AT43, Jersey Channel Islands, 2012

Summary

On 16 July 2012, the left main landing gear of a Blue Islands ATR 42-300 collapsed during landing at Jersey. The aircraft stopped quickly on the runway as the left wing and propeller made ground contact. Although the crew saw no imminent danger once the aircraft had stopped, the passengers thought otherwise and perceived the need for an emergency evacuation which the sole cabin crew facilitated. The Investigation found that the fatigue failure of a side brace had initiated the gear collapse and that the origin of this was a casting discontinuity in a billet of aluminium produced to specification.

Description

On 16 July 2012, an ATR 42-300 being operated by Blue Islands on a passenger flight from Guernsey to Jersey, Channel Islands with First Officer line training in progress sustained a left main landing gear collapse on touchdown in normal day visibility. The left wingtip and propeller made ground contact but the aircraft remained on the runway and rapidly stopped following which an emergency evacuation of the 40 passengers was initiated via the main (rear left hand) passenger door during which 4 persons received minor injuries.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (UK) (AAIB). Data relating to the event was successfully downloaded from the 25 hour Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the 2 hour Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).

It was established that the accident flight was the second of the day and had been without incident during the 11 minutes airborne. A visual approach to runway 27 at Jersey was made with a landing made by the aircraft commander as PF in a slight crosswind (reported as 210°/16 knots) with the left main gear touching first but not especially heavily.

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