The AAIB has reported on a serious incident involving a De Havilland Canada DHC-8, registration 9H-LWB, on Runway 27 at Guernsey Airport on 23 April 2024.
The aircraft was returning from London Gatwick when the commander attempted a gentle touchdown. The aircraft floated, touched down about two-thirds along the runway and overran the end at slow speed. There were no injuries and the aircraft was undamaged.
The flight was operated under a wet lease agreement. Following the incident both lessee and lessor changed their safety management systems. Safety actions included improving the lessee’s understanding of how wet lease flights were being operated and introducing an augmented review of foreign carrier permit applications for wet lease operations in the Channel Islands.
The investigation also made a safety recommendation concerning the location of emergency checklists in the DHC-8 Quick Reference Handbook.
Learning Points
Stabilised landing criteria must include touchdown-zone discipline, not only approach stability.
Wet lease oversight should verify how the operation is actually conducted, trained and supervised.
Emergency checklist location and accessibility can become an operational safety issue during abnormal events.
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