Incident Overview

Date: Monday 11 June 2018
Aircraft Type: Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B-26 Islander
Owner/operator: Falkland Islands Government Air Service – FIGAS
Registration Number: VP-FBM
Location: Beaver Island Airstrip – ÿ Falkland Islands
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Aircraft – Specifically, the landing gear, engine mounts, and wing.Aircraft – Specifically, the landing gear, engine mounts, and wing.
Investigating Agency: AAIBAAIB
Category: Accident
On Weddell Island, a single-pilot aircraft experienced a near-miss landing following a short flight to Beaver Island. The pilot, returning from a stay overseas, executed a brief approach to runway 13, encountering unexpected wind conditions and a stall warning. The aircraft impacted hard, resulting in significant damage to the landing gear, engine mounts, and wing. The pilot reported a stall sound just prior to touchdown, suggesting a potential issue with the aircraft’s control. Despite the challenging conditions, the pilot demonstrated experience and managed to keep the aircraft under control, culminating in a taxi and shutdown. The operator initiated a review, concluding that the landing was likely caused by a combination of low approach speed, turbulence, and the repositioning due to the change of landing runway. The incident highlights the importance of careful approach planning and the potential for unexpected factors to influence flight safety.On Weddell Island, a single-pilot aircraft experienced a near-miss landing following a short flight to Beaver Island. The pilot, returning from a stay overseas, executed a brief approach to runway 13, encountering unexpected wind conditions and a stall warning. The aircraft impacted hard, resulting in significant damage to the landing gear, engine mounts, and wing. The pilot reported a stall sound just prior to touchdown, suggesting a potential issue with the aircraft’s control. Despite the challenging conditions, the pilot demonstrated experience and managed to keep the aircraft under control, culminating in a taxi and shutdown. The operator initiated a review, concluding that the landing was likely caused by a combination of low approach speed, turbulence, and the repositioning due to the change of landing runway. The incident highlights the importance of careful approach planning and the potential for unexpected factors to influence flight safety.

Description

The aircraft was on a short flight of about 12 minutes between airfields on Weddell Island and Beaver Island, Falkland Islands. It was being operated by a single pilot who had considerable experience on both the aircraft type and in operating in the Falkland Islands. This was his first day back after a period of leave, having returned to the Falkland Islands the previous day from a stay overseas. Weddell Island was experiencing a southerly wind at the time the pilot took off so he was expecting to land on runway 13 at Beaver Island. Whilst downwind for runway 13 he contacted his destination by radio to be informed that the wind strength and direction favoured instead an approach to runway 27. The pilot then repositioned the aircraft for runway 27, rolling out of the final turn on short final. Video footage taken by the passengers on board recorded that about 8 seconds after rolling out onto final the stall warning horn sounded, quickly followed by an impact as the aircraft appeared to touch down hard. The pilot reported that he had felt the right wing drop just before the impact. A later inspection revealed marks from the left wheel on a small bank about 14.5 m short of the start of the runway undershoot area and from the right wheel about 12.4 m short. There were further marks from both wheels indicating the aircraft had struck further banks before both wheels remained on the ground 3.5 m inside the undershoot area. During the subsequent landing roll the aircraft veered initially to the right but the pilot managed to keep it under control. He taxied the aircraft clear of the runway before shutting down. On inspecting the aircraft it was apparent there was significant damage to the right landing gear, engine mounts and wing. Conclusions The evidence indicates it is likely the aircraft stalled, or suffered an unexpected descent, on final approach whilst at low height, just short of the undershoot area. This was probably caused by a combination of the low approach speed, necessary to operate to the short strip, and turbulence or windshear caused by the topography of the local area under the prevailing wind conditions. The pilot commented that the stall warner often sounds just prior to touch down and the fact it sounded on this occasion did not necessarily indicate a full stall of the aircraft. Despite the challenges offered by the airstrip, the pilot was experienced and capable of operating under the prevailing conditions. The pilot was confident that despite his recent travel back to the Falkland Islands fatigue was not a contributory factor. The pilot also commented that it is not unusual in this sort of operation to fly only a short final approach, but it is possible that the late repositioning due to the change of landing runway contributed to the handling of the flight, just prior to touchdown. As a result of the accident, the operator conducted its own review. This determined that whilst the strips on Beaver Island complied with relevant requirements, as a further precaution some of the banks short of the undershoot areas would be levelled off.

Primary Cause

Unexpected descent/stall due to low approach speed, combined with turbulence/windshear exacerbated by the local terrain.Unexpected descent/stall due to low approach speed, combined with turbulence/windshear exacerbated by the local terrain.

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