The plane overshot the Aberdeen runway in June

Problems with levers in the cockpit meant the pilot could not slow down quickly enough, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The City Star Airways Dornier 328 with 19 people on board overshot the runway in June.

An AAIB bulletin recommends that pilots be given training to ensure they can handle the problem if it arises again.

The plane, with 16 passengers and three crew on board, got into difficulties when it touched down following a flight from Norway during the evening of 22 June.

'Adequate training'

Problems with levers in the cockpit meant the pilot could not get the propellers to help slow the plane down.

It over-ran the runway by about 350m and came to rest on grassland, but no-one was hurt.

The report from the AAIB said the same fault caused a Dornier to overshoot an Italian runway in 1999. It ended up in the sea, drowning four people.

The AAIB recommends advising "all operators of Dornier 328 turboprop aircraft to detail procedures, and provide adequate training, to ensure that their pilots are able to act appropriately if the beta control range on the power levers cannot be selected after landing".

Three Grampian Fire and Rescue units and two ambulances were called out to the accident but were not required.

One male passenger said: "It came in to land and we were put into the brace position.

"The pilot had everyone under control and we were treated really well."