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| Date: | Wednesday 18 September 1996 |
| Time: | c. 09:26 LT |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 |
| Owner/operator: | British Airways Express, opb Brymon Airways |
| Registration: | G-BRYM |
| MSN: | 305 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Engine model: | P&W Canada PW123 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 53 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Plymouth-City Airport (PLH/EGDB) -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL) |
| Plymouth-City Airport (PLH/EGDB) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The crew reported at 0505 hrs to operate six sectors, being twice round the route Plymouth-
Newquay-Heathrow-Plymouth. Towards the end of the third sector, inbound to Plymouth at 0922
hrs, the crew contacted Plymouth Approach Control while 13 miles east of the airport. The 0850 hrs
METAR observation for Plymouth had been passed to the crew previously by London Military
Radar Control as 100°/26 kt gusting 39 kt, visibility 17 km, cloud few at 2,500 feet. The temperature
was 13°C and the QNH 1009/QFE 992 mb. The aircraft was cleared to self position onto a left base
leg for a visual approach to Runway 13. The First Officer was the handling pilot for this sector. The
landing crosswind component was within the company limits for him to complete the landing as
handling pilot (aircraft crosswind limit 30 kt, First Officer handling crosswind limit 20 kt). The First
Officer had been flying the type for some two years and had a total flying experience of 2,834 hours,
of which 893 were on type. His 28 and 90 day flying totals were 85 and 178 hours respectively.
The maximum permitted landing weight was 41,885 lb and the actual landing weight was 40,644 lb.
The crew elected to make an approach with full flap (35°), using a VREF of 100 kt, which was
appropriate to a landing weight of 41,000 lb. The approach speed to be used was as recommended
by the manufacturer at VREF, to which was added half of the gust value (with an overall maximum
increment of +10 kt), giving a target approach speed of 107 kt. Plymouth Runway 13 has a
Landing Distance Available of 1,038 metres. For a 35° flap landing, the LDA from the company
Operations Manual was 1,007 metres (still air ), or 897 metres when factored for the steady
headwind component.
The flight crew commented that flying conditions were smooth until the aircraft descended below
1,000 feet when constant moderate turbulence and indicated airspeed fluctuations was
experienced. This turbulence had been anticipated as the crew were based at Plymouth and were
familiar with the local effects of strong winds. They decided to configure the aircraft early on the
approach, so 35° flap was selected at about 800 feet agl and the aircraft settled at an approach speed of around 110 kt, but fluctuating with the turbulence being experienced. The landing checks
were completed, landing clearance was obtained from ATC and a final wind check was passed as
100° at 20 kt gusting 30 kt. The First Officer requested confirmation that the airspeed was
acceptable on short final and the commander replied that it was good. The aircraft flared normally
with the left wing slightly down to compensate for the crosswind component and the power was
progressively reduced to flight idle. The crew considered that the aircraft touched down earlier than
anticipated, on the left main wheel first followed quickly by the right main wheel. A slight bounce
then followed before a further firm touchdown. A normal rollout ensued. The pitch attitude at the
flare and bounce did not seem excessive to the crew.
Ground contact with the rear fuselage went unnoticed by the aircraft occupants , but the flight deck
crew noted that the Red 'Touched Runway' warning caption on the CAUTION/WARNING LIGHTS PANEL was illuminated during the taxi in. The aircraft was parked and shut down normally before being withdrawn from service for repair.
The commander considered that the approach had been normal given the nature of the turbulence
and windshear experienced. He considered that an application of power at the flare to compensate
for the sudden loss of airspeed may have prevented the firm touchdown and rear fuselage strike.
The previous landing aircraft was a Piper PA-28 which landed on Runway 13 at 0924 hrs. Its pilot
indicated that he experienced a loss of airspeed of about 20 kt on short finals. He did not comment
by R/T to ATC on this experience.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ecb5ed915d1374000129/dft_avsafety_pdf_500099.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10340382 (Photo)
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 9 January 1993 | N433AW | United Express, opb Air Wisconsin | 0 | Savoy, IL |  |
min |
| 1 August 1994 | N433AW | United Express, opb Atlantic Coast Airlines | 0 | Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD) | |
sub |
| Damaged on the ground | ||||||
| 25 September 2015 | C-FJVV | Air Canada Express, opb Jazz Aviation | 0 | Montréal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport, QC (YUL/CYUL) |  |
min |
| Bird strike | ||||||
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Aug-2025 00:10 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 11-Aug-2025 00:11 | Justanormalperson | Updated [Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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