'Heavy' landing as pilot's artificial arm becomes 'detached'

An airline flight made a hard landing in Northern Ireland after the pilot's artificial arm became "detached," according to media reports out Thursday.

Despite the hard landing, no one was injured and there was no damage to the Bombardier Q400 turboprop that was flying for small English carrier Flybe. There were 47 passengers on the flight from Birmingham, England, to the Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland.

The BBC says the flight landed in "gusty conditions" on Feb. 12. The incident is just now coming to light thanks to a government incident report that became public Thursday.

In its account of the report, The Associated Press says "the 46-year-old pilot had shortly before checked that his prosthetic lower left arm was securely attached to the yoke clamp, but as he performed a maneuver just before touchdown the limb became detached."

The Thursday report from the United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch said the pilot then used his right hand to regain control of the yoke.

The Belfast Telegraph cites the report as saying that the pilot's attempt was successful, but that "with power still applied and possibly a gust affecting the aircraft, a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily."

Flybe says passengers were never at risk, and adds to the Telegraph that the company is proud of its equal opportunities employment practices.

"This, in common with most airlines, means we do employ staff with reduced physical abilities," Captain Ian Baston, Flybe director of flight operations and safety," says to the Telegraph. "Where appropriate, and in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements, this does include pilots.

"The senior captain referred to in this report is one of Flybe's most experienced and trusted pilots," Baston adds to the Telegraph. "The airline confirms that at no time was the safety of its passengers or crew compromised in any way, nor was the aircraft damaged."