The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has released its findings on a hard landing involving an ATR 72-212A freighter, registration G-OASB, at East Midlands Airport. The aircraft, operating a scheduled cargo service from Guernsey Airport on 14 November 2025, floated on final approach before a sudden pitch-down and a nose-gear-first touchdown that damaged the undercarriage but left the two crew uninjured.
The aircraft bounced twice before settling and the nose landing gear was extensively damaged. The sequence from the initial pitch-down to the final landing lasted about nine seconds, with investigators examining whether the crew’s reaction after the first hard contact was affected by startle and decision-making under pressure.
Damage assessments carried out with the manufacturer found the nose landing gear leg, drag brace, right main landing gear leg and shock absorber had exceeded design load limits and required replacement. The left main gear shock absorber also needed inspection. The findings describe probable contributing factors rather than a single definitive cause, leaving the event classified as an incident under investigation rather than a final causal ruling.