Date:	Tuesday 25 October 2022
Time:	20:30 UTC
Type:	ATR 72-211
Owner/operator:	West Atlantic UK
Registration:	G-CLNK
MSN:	147
Year of manufacture:	1989
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Jersey-States Airport, Channel Islands (JER/EGJJ)
Destination airport:	East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
ATR-72-211 G-CLNK sustained minor damage to the nosewheel in a runway excursion at East Midlands Airport.

G-CLNK was operating from Jersey Airport to East Midlands Airport and made a radar vectored autopilot coupled approach to Runway 09. During the approach, the reported wind at the airport obtained by the pilots was from 150° at 10 kt. The commander was PF (Pilot Flying).

He stabilised the approach by 1,000 ft and then established the aircraft with a slight crab into wind and power set at 25% torque. In the latter stages of the approach the commander disconnected the autopilot, removed the small amount of crab in the flare and touched down aligned with the runway. Once all wheels were on the runway, he selected ground idle and, as the aircraft continued to decelerate along the runway, it began to swerve to the right.

He handed control to the co-pilot and applied left nosewheel tiller to straighten the aircraft. The commander noticed that the right wing lifted, which he ascribed to the turn to the right in combination with the crosswind from the right. The commander then applied more tiller input to the left, aided by the application of left pedal and differential left brake input by the co-pilot, to which the aircraft slowly began to respond.

During the landing roll the commander reported seeing an object on the runway ahead and to the left. Review of the CCTV subsequently showed a ‘spark’ under the aircraft during the landing roll.

The METAR for the airport valid at the time of landing reported wind from 140° at 12 kt. The commander reported the excursion to ATC, and a runway inspection was carried out which reported a broken edge light. An engineering inspection found damage to the tyre of the nosewheel, which was replaced.

=AAIB Conclusion=
After landing in a light crosswind, as the aircraft decelerated through 80 kt, it swerved right and hit a runway edge light. The loss of directional control probably occurred because of insufficient in-to-wind aileron. The recovery of directional control was delayed by the use of nosewheel steering through the tiller, rather than the use of rudder.

=Safety actions=
The operator took the following actions:
• The crew underwent further training in the simulator on the aircraft handling technique in crosswinds during landing.
• The syllabus for the operator conversion course is being rewritten to maximise crew exposure to crosswinds.
• The operator advised all involved in training on the ATR 72 to be alert to and monitor for incorrect crosswind techniques or inappropriate use of nosewheel steering through the tiller.

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6464dc450b72d30013344682/ATR_72-211_G-CLNK_06-23.pdf
2. AAIB Annual Safety Review 2023 p.88: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6464dc450b72d30013344682/ATR_72-211_G-CLNK_06-23.pdf
3. Aviation Herald: https://avherald.com/h?article=50a36529
4. https://www.aeroinside.com/18219/west-atlantic-at72-at-east-midlands-on-oct-25th-2022-runway-excursion-on-landing
5. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-CLNK/981483
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Midlands_Airport

G-CLNK was built in 1989 (first flight 1.12.1989), and was initially registered in Spain as EC-JQF. It was first registered in the UK as G-CLNK on 2 November 2020

G-CLNK Aerospatiale ATR 72-211 of West Atlantic UK at East Midlands-EMA,16.5.2021.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Mar-2024 17:20	Dr. John Smith	Added
29-Mar-2024 17:22	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report]