Probe into hard landing at city’s airport

AN investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding a plane’s dramatic landing at Birmingham Airport from Gibraltar.

The touchdown saw the plane’s 48-year-old pilot required to use more force to control the aircraft than was normal for an approach.

Details of the investigation, included in the October edition of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), found that a fault in the plane’s steering system forced the pilot to take action.

The report stated that at 11.50am on June 7, 2021, “pilots were alerted to a pitch trim failure and associated autopilot failure.”

Thankfully there were no injuries or damage reported aboard the plane, which was carrying 18 passengers and five crew members from Gibraltar Airport into BHX in Solihull.

The report details the technical problem and likely cause of the drama: “The pilots were alerted to a pitch trim failure and associated autopilot failure which resulted in greater nose-down control forces in pitch, requiring the pilot to use more force to control the aircraft than was normal on approach.

“With both hands on the yoke, the PF flew a stable approach and made a safe landing. On landing, the pilots were alerted to a fault in the steering system. No injuries or damage were reported.

“The pitch trim fault was probably caused by the jamming of the actuator ball nut due to the freezing of water that had entered the component, itself probably the result of condensation. The steering system fault was due to a sensor failure unrelated to the pitch trim fault.”

The pilots continued the descent into Birmingham and actioned the checklist for pitch trim fail. The report states that the pilots did not declare an emergency and continued the descent to runway 15 at Birmingham.

On landing, a steer fail caution illuminated, and the commander took control, stopping the aircraft on the runway. They then taxied the aircraft to the stand.

The pilots were found to have made a stable approach and safe landing. No further action is recommended.