A plane suffered damage after crashing into a runway light at East Midlands Airport (EMA). An investigation found that although a crosswind played a part in the incident, the flight crew could have done more to avoid impact.
The collision happened on Tuesday, October 25 last year when when the ATR 72 G-CLNK turboprop plane landed following its flight from Jersey Airport, Leicestershire Live reports. The plane did reach the runway at around 8.30pm without problem at first after it encountered a "light crosswind" on the approach to EMA.
But investigators at the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) found that after all wheels were safely on the tarmac, the pilot put the plane into “ground idle” mode but the turboprop suddenly swerved to the right as it decelerated down the runway. The co-pilot took control of the situation, but could not avoid the plane colliding with a runway light, causing a “spark” to be seen under the plane.
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The crew immediately reported the impact to Air Traffic Control, with crews finding that the collision broke the edge light on the runway. The plane also suffered damage too, with engineers finding that the nosewheel of the ATR 72 needed replacing. No-one was hurt during the incident.
In its findings, the AAIB found that the plane, which had no passengers on board, was being flown by an experienced pilot who had more than 11,000 flying hours of experience. But he only had 63 hours for planes of a similar type to the ATR 72. The co-pilot also had limited experience of a plane of that type.
The AAIB also found that during the handover of controls, the co-pilot applied the left nosewheel tiller - a device that steers the plane while it is taxiing down runways - rather than the rudder which controls direction. Together with the cross-wind, this caused the plane’s right wing to lift, with the crew applying more tiller input to give them greater control. However, it was not enough to avoid the ultimate collision when the nosewheel hit the ground light.
Investigations found that despite the lack of ATR 72 experience in the cockpit, the crew had plenty of prior experience of strong crosswinds. Airspeed reports found the wind was 12 knots on the night of the incident, with the AAIB determining that it should not have created the situation. It found the crew’s response to this wind in using the tiller instead of the rudder meant the wind had a bigger impact than it otherwise would have done
The AAIB uncovered that the use of the tiller was down to ease of use for the crew who had “reverted to techniques” they knew on other planes. Investigators determined that matters were not helped by the “insufficient” use of the aileron - a device that further helps movement - as they taxied down the runway.
In its report, the AAIB concluded that the use of the tiller and lack of appropriate aileron led to the collision. The use of the tiller also meant “recovery of directional control” was delayed. Investigators advised the plane’s operator to provide more training for all crew - something it has since provided.
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