Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 16 August 2017
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Owner/operator: Army Parachute Association
Registration Number: G-CPSS
Location: Netheravon Airport – ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Component Affected: Nose landing gearNose landing gear
Investigating Agency: AAIBAAIB
Category: Accident
A sport parachute club aircraft, operating from Netheravon Airfield, experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent during its fifth sortie. The aircraft rapidly descended, then experienced a sudden loss of control resulting in a hard landing onto the runway. The pilot reported a ‘rapidly pushed down’ sensation and attempted to correct the descent, but the landing was forceful, causing the nose landing gear to break off and the propeller to contact the ground. The aircraft subsequently stopped, isolating systems and exiting via the normal landing procedure.A sport parachute club aircraft, operating from Netheravon Airfield, experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent during its fifth sortie. The aircraft rapidly descended, then experienced a sudden loss of control resulting in a hard landing onto the runway. The pilot reported a ‘rapidly pushed down’ sensation and attempted to correct the descent, but the landing was forceful, causing the nose landing gear to break off and the propeller to contact the ground. The aircraft subsequently stopped, isolating systems and exiting via the normal landing procedure.

Description

The aircraft was being operated by a sport parachute club and was on the fifth sortie of the day dropping parachutists over Netheravon Airfield from heights up to 13,000 ft. Following a rapid descent, the aircraft was stabilised for the final approach to runway 22 with flap 30 set, airspeed 85 kt and propeller rpm set to max. The weather was good with a surface wind from 200ø at 13 kt. The aircraft was stabilized but, on short finals at about 150 to 200 ft, the aircraft started to drop, which the pilot described as “the sensation… of being rapidly pushed down”, or windshear. He tried to pull up to correct the descent but landed heavily in a flat, nose down attitude. The aircraft skidded along the grass runway, veering off to the right and coming to a halt alongside the runway. During the landing, the nose landing gear broke off and the propeller contacted the ground. When the aircraft stopped, the pilot isolated the fuel and electrical systems and vacated through the normal exit. An internal investigation identified that the aircraft had touched down in the undershoot and the nose landing gear had probably broken when it encountered a shallow drainage ditch.

Primary Cause

Sudden loss of control during rapid descent due to windshear and potential gear failure.Sudden loss of control during rapid descent due to windshear and potential gear failure.

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