ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 C-FOPN St. Anthony Airport, NL (YAY)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 27 March 2013
Time:12:53
Type:Silhouette image of generic DHC6 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Operator:Air Labrador
Registration: C-FOPN
MSN: 291
First flight: 1970
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:St. Anthony Airport, NL (YAY) (   Canada)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Mary's Harbour Airport, NL (YMH/CYMH), Canada
Destination airport:St. Anthony Airport, NL (YAY/CYAY), Canada
Narrative:
On 27 March 2013, an Air Labrador Twin Otter was landing at St. Anthony Airport, with 2 crew members and 8 passengers on board. On approach to runway 10, the captain and first officer discussed approach and landing considerations due to the strong crosswinds, and it was decided that the first officer would continue the approach. Immediately prior to landing, the first officer experienced difficulty, so control of the aircraft was transferred to the captain. The transfer of control was completed less than 2 seconds prior to landing. The aircraft touched down on the left main wheel, bounced, and landed hard on the nosewheel; the nose landing gear collapsed due to overstress failures. Directional control was lost, and the aircraft skidded on its nose and came to rest 96 feet off the north side of the runway. There were no injuries, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.

The investigation determined that, when control of the aircraft was passed to the captain, there was insufficient time to position the aircraft for a successful landing due to the substantial crosswind. The Air Labrador Twin Otter standard operating procedures (SOPs) do not state when the captain should permit the first officer to act as pilot flying or relieve the first officer from that role. When allowing the first officer to fly in challenging conditions, the captain must be prepared to take control of the aircraft in adequate time to ensure the safety of the flight. Also, there is an increased risk of a landing accident if a required briefing is not conducted. Crew members may not share a common plan for the approach and landing, and, as in this case, transfer of control may not be conducted in a timely manner.

Probable Cause:

Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
1. The captain permitted the first officer to continue with a challenging approach.
2. Control of the aircraft was passed to the captain with insufficient time to position the aircraft for a successful landing.
3. The aircraft landed hard, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear due to overstress failures.

Findings as to risk:
1. If a required briefing is not conducted, the crew members may not share a common plan for the approach and landing, and the transfer of control may not be completed in a timely manner, increasing the risk of a landing accident.

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: TSB Canada
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Accident number: A13A0033
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Runway mishap

Follow-up / safety actions
Air Labrador has since amended the company SOPs for the Twin Otter to require that all landings with crosswinds in excess of 10 knots be conducted by the captain, unless the captain believes that the first officer is capable of performing the landing.

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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Mary's Harbour Airport, NL to St. Anthony Airport, NL as the crow flies is 102 km (64 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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