DH8D, Manchester UK, 2016

DH8D, Manchester UK, 2016

Summary

On 14 December 2016, soon after a Bombardier DHC8-400 took off from Manchester, an unfastened engine access panel detached and struck and damaged the aircraft's vertical stabiliser before falling onto and alongside the departure runway. The Investigation found the panel had been left unsecured after routine overnight maintenance which required it to be opened and that this condition had not then been detected during the pilot-performed pre-flight external check. An identical event was found to have occurred to the same aircraft a month earlier. The Operator-provided pilot training on pre departure inspections was found to be inconsistent.

Description

On 14 December 2016, an engine access panel fell from a Bombardier DHC8-400 (G-PRPC) being operated by Flybe on a scheduled international passenger flight from Manchester to Hannover soon after it took off in night VMC. The crew were unaware of this until after the flight had arrived at destination where damage to the vertical stabiliser was also found. The departure airport were then advised and the missing panel and pieces of its hold-open strut, which had remained undetected on and near the runway for over two hours, were only then recovered.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB. The access panel involved was found to have been the outboard main engine bay access panel on the left engine, one of two such panels on each engine, one on each side.

The engine access panel involved showing its two upper hinges and four latches. (Reproduced from the Official Report)

The aircraft's vertical stabiliser skin was found to have been punctured on both sides. Impact marks were also present on the stabiliser leading edge de-icing boot and both VOR/LOC antennas had sustained damage.

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