Incident Overview

Description
The aircraft operated on a round trip passenger flight between Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland. The return flight was performed by a student pilot. An instrument landing was carried out on runway 16 at Zurich-Kloten Airport. Due to a crosswind the aircraft threatened to break away to the left from the runway. The instructor took over control, but applied such intense engine correction that the aircraft broke away to the right. The DC-3 went over the right hand edge of the runway, then turned again to the left. The right main undercarriage became dislodged, and the aircraft sustained serious damage. The occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was sold to Norway, where it was repaired and registered as LN-LMK in September 1964. It was immediately sold on to Commercial Air Services (South Africa) as ZS-DXW. Conclusions: “The commission arrived at the following unanimous conclusions the casualty is referable to the fact that the aircraft which was approximately fully loaded and had the centre of gravity behind the permissible limit, in the landing by a flying pupil, as a consequence of an intense lateral wind threatened to break away from the track, whereupon the instructor, taking over the control over corrected in the other direction.”
Primary Cause
Strong crosswind conditions during a landing by a student pilot.Strong crosswind conditions during a landing by a student pilot.Share on: