Description

On 1 November 2009, a Bombardier DHC8-400 being operated by UK regional airline Flybe on a scheduled passenger flight from Newcastle to London Gatwick made a hard landing at an abnormally high pitch angle at destination in normal day visibility and significant structural damage to the aft lower airframe resulted. No occupants were injured and the aircraft was taxied in to parking without further event.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB. The surface wind in the Meteorological Terminal Air Report (METAR) issued one minute after the touchdown included a surface wind of 170 /13 knots gusting to 23 knots.

It was noted that at about 40 ft agl the indicated airspeed had increased to 17 knots above the calculated Reference Speed (Vref). The aircraft commander, as PF, had responded to this by reducing torque to Flight Idle after which the speed decreased to Vref and the rate of descent initially remained constant at about the normal rate of 600 fpm. The aural radio altimeter calls counted down from 50 ft, in 10 ft increments at a rate which the flight crew considered normal. At 25 ft agl, the aircraft commander reported having become aware of an increasing sink rate and responded by leaving the power at idle and initiating a flare which increased the aircraft pitch from about 2.5° to 7.5° in three seconds. This flare failed to arrest the rate of descent and the aircraft touched down at a recorded 2.4g on both main gear and on the aft fuselage.