Canadian investigators have disclosed that a Bombardier Q400 operated a return flight to Montreal despite sustaining damage during a hard landing at Toronto.
The Jazz aircraft had operated a flight from Montreal to Toronto City airport on 9 November, with 37 passengers and four crew members.
It conducted the approach in darkness and strong wind conditions. Meteorological data from the airport at the time indicates gusts in the region of 25-30kt.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada says the aircraft "bounced" and then touched down "firmly" on the runway. It has not stated the extent of the impact but says a flight-data recorder caution light was triggered in the cockpit.
No abnormalities were detected during a visual inspection of the aircraft. "It was then decided that a hard-landing maintenance inspection was not required," says TSB.
The caution light remained illuminated and the aircraft was dispatched for a return flight to Montreal under minimum equipment list authority. TSB has not clarified the total number of occupants on the flight.
But it says the crew requested en route that the Q400 be inspected upon arrival, and the turboprop was taken to a hangar.
During this inspection maintenance personnel discovered damage to the right-hand main landing-gear as well as the right side of the aft fuselage. The aircraft has been undergoing repair as a result.
Jazz had taken delivery of the new aircraft (C-GYJZ) some 18 months before the accident, according to Flight Fleets Analyzer.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
