ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-8K2 (WL) G-GDFC Funchal Airport, Madeira (FNC)
ASN logo
 
 
Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 17 February 2014
Time:12:23
Type:Silhouette image of generic B738 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 737-8K2 (WL)
Operator:Jet2
Registration: G-GDFC
MSN: 28375/85
First flight: 1998-08-03 (15 years 7 months)
Total airframe hrs:54169
Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7B26
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 176
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 182
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Funchal Airport, Madeira (FNC) (   Portugal)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Leeds/Bradford Airport (LBA/EGNM), United Kingdom
Destination airport:Funchal Airport (FNC/LPFU), Portugal
Flightnumber:LS389
Narrative:
Jet2 flight 389 departed from Leeds/Bradford (LBA) at 08:05 UTC. The captain was Pilot Flying (PF). The en route part and descent towards Funchal (FNC), Madeira, were uneventful.
There was a partially cloudy sky at Funchal with good visibility, surface wind was strong from 330° at 14 kts gusting to 24 kts, with variations in direction between 220° and 020°. Temperature was 15°C.
The commander reported that the visual approach to runway 05 seemed normal until the point Rosario, when he began to notice effects of "wind shear" and coincident with the automatic altitude call of 50 feet, the aircraft developed a high sink rate. The PF continued with the approach and he attempted to arrest the rate of descent but the aircraft landed heavily and bounced to a height of about 8 feet and continued for about 300 meters.
During the second contact with the runway, the tail of the aircraft struck its surface at a speed of about 140 kts. The PF was able to control the aircraft safely within the confines of the runway.
A preliminary visual inspection showed some deformation of the outer surface of the fuselage and significant skid marks on the underside of the rear fuselage.
Closer inspection, performed by maintenance services, revealed the existence of a deformed drain tube, some bent struts with five cracks found on two fuselage frames that had suffered structural damage from the vertical loads sustained in the contact with the runway.

Probable Cause:

CAUSE:
The accident was due to an excessive nose up input after the first contact with the runway and at a time in which the aircraft was airborne at around 8 feet (RA) which, associated to the manual deployment of the speedbrakes and consequent loss of lift, resulted in a sharp nose up attitude (9.15°) to a point of causing the tail strike with the runway surface.
Contributing factors:
1. The Normal Checklist (Landing) was not executed (737-800 FCOM Chapter NP);
2. The aircraft approach was conducted under turbulence conditions in the last 150 feet;
3. Aircraft deviation from the "stabilized approach" profile which implied the execution of a go-around (737 NG FCTM Chapter 5);
4. The judgement not to execute a go-around after the bounce on the runway (737 NG FCTM Chapter 6);

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: GPIAA Portugal
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 11 months
Accident number: 02/ACCID/2014
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Tailstrike
Runway mishap

Follow-up / safety actions

GPIAA issued 4 Safety Recommendations

Show all...

Photos

photo of Boeing-737-8K2-G-GDFC
accident date: 17-02-2014
type: Boeing 737-8K2 (WL)
registration: G-GDFC
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Leeds/Bradford Airport to Funchal Airport as the crow flies is 2621 km (1638 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: languages

Share

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org