With a crew of 4 and 74 passengers, a de Havilland Canada DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8) was operating a domestic passenger flight in Canada, between Fort McMurray Airport and Edmonton International Airport. The flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, the estimated flight duration according to the flight plan was 1 hour and 2 minutes.
The wrinkled rigthhand nose section of the aircraft, blue dry erase marker has been added for clarity by investigators (Source & © TSB Canada)
After cruising at flight level 240 (24.000 feet on a standard barometer setting of 29.92 inHg or 1013.2 mb) and descending towards Edmonton, the aircraft was cleared for a visual approach to runway 12. The pilot flying (PF) had briefed a flap 15 landing with an approach speed (Vref) of 122 knots. An (alternative) missed approach was also briefed and approved by ATC, this was due to thunderstorm activity. During the approach, Vref was increased by 20 knots in anticipation of a missed approach. (thunderstorms and possible wind shear conditions existed). !3 minutes prior to the aircraft's arrival the following weather conditions were recorded:
Wind - 220º at 8 knots, gusting 15 knots
Visibility - 15 miles in light thunderstorms and rain
Broken Cumulonimbus at 3000 feet AGL and broken clouds at 8300 feet.
Temperature - 16ºC
Dewpoint - 13ºC
Altimeter - 29,78 inHg
The landing was expected to be firm due to the expected gusty conditions close to the ground. 3 miles from the runway flaps were set to 15º and the landing gear was lowered, the airspeed was Vref+20, 142 knots.
CCTV image of runway 12 with the incident aircraft on short final, indicated by the green arrow. (Source; TSB Canada © Edmonton Airport Authority)
At 17.13 local time the aircraft touched down on the main landing gear, in the touchdown zone of runway 12, speed at that time was 142 knots. The aircraft bounced and became airborne agian, the PF then made a full nose down elevator input. A bang and a nose-wheel shimmey followed and the aircraft pulled to the left during the landing roll.
After the landing the crew check the aircraft's "Intregrated Communication and Application System" for a hard landing indication, no such indication was noted. The aircraft taxied clear of the runway and asked for maintenance assited, as the crew was concerned the aircraft was damaged during the landing. Both nose landing gear wheels were replaced and the aircraft atxied to its parking position, where the passengers disembarked, there were no injuries. There was extensive damage to the nose section of the aircraft;
Wrinkled fuselage skin
Left nose landing gear door damaged
Damaged nose landing gear
Damaged forward pressure bulkhead
The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
The accident was investigated by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) No ICAO Annex 13 Probale Cause statement was issued in their final report which is available below.