Aer Arann ATR72 off runway, SNN

irishwayne wrote: »

the plane that crashed landed is Aer Arann plane but its painted in the aer lingus colours

kona wrote: »

...the EI colours have taken some flak from Aer Arann.

losthorizon wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0717/breaking10.html

The Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) have released their preliminary report stating, that the captain was pilot flying for the approach to Shannon's runway 24. The crew had been advised about turbulence prompting the captain to aim for the end of the touch down zone in order to avoid turbulence at the final stages of the landing considering that the remaining runway length was sufficient.

According to flight data off the FDR the aircraft however experienced an extended landing flare, engine torque had been increased in the initial flare and then was progessively reduced. The captain became increasingly concerned with the remaining runway length and decided to positively settle the aircraft on the runway by a pronounced push on the yoke with a simultaneous reduction of engine torque. The aircraft reached a nose down attitude of 8 degrees, the nose gear contacted the runway first at a vertical acceleration of 1.7G, the aircraft bounced back into the air and the captain initiated a go-around. While climbing out the gear was retracted with no abnormal indications.

The aircraft was vectored for another approach to runway 24, the captain aimed for the mid point of the touch down zone, the aircraft bounced a number of times the last time again reaching a nose down attitude of 8 degrees with the nose gear again first contacting the runway at a vertical acceleration of 2.3G. At that point the blue hydraulic system lost pressure. The nose gear collapsed and the nose scraped along the runway. The aircraft gradually veered to the left and exited the runway surface onto grass near taxiway Alpha, the left propeller struck a runway sign and received damage to one propeller blade. The airplane came to a stop 1200 meters past the first impact marks on the runway.

The AAIU annotated that the crew had no directional control over the aircraft during the roll out due to the nose gear steering inoperative due to collapsed nose gear and the rudder being jammed in the mid position.

The crew was unable to shut the engines down normally, the condition levers could not be retarded to their aft position. The crew therefore pulled the fire handles to shut the engines downs.
The flight crew decided to not evacuate due to lack of evidence of smoke or smoke. The cabin crew however noticed a burning smell and initiated an evacuation.

The nose gear, that normally retracts forward, was forcibly bent backwards and forced into the fuselage causing substantial structural damage in the under cockpit area.

The AAIU stated that a crosswind limit of 30 knots applied with the runway status being damp. The operator had advised that gusts were not to be included in the assessment whether a landing could be performed. Tower reported gusts of 32 knots from 70 degrees, however, the maximum windspeed was 24 knots resulting in a crosswind component of 22.5 knots.

The AAIU learned during the investigation that the aircraft had encountered similiar issues in similiar weather conditions, however with different crew, on two occasions prior to the accident.

The AAIU issued (and Aer Arann already adopted) a safety recommendation: "Aer Arann should review the maximum crosswind limitations for approaches onto RWY 24 at Shannon in conditions where the wind direction lies in the sector from 260° - 320° and the wind speed is more than 15 kts, i.e. when turbulence on the landing/approach may be expected."

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Av Herald
"..decided to positively settle the aircraft on the runway by a pronounced push on the yoke with a simultaneous reduction of engine torque..."