Air Japan B767 nose-gear strike – Japan Transport Safety Board Report
Air Japan B767 nose-gear strike – substantial damage. Japanese investigators believe an All Nippon Airways Boeing 767-300 sustained damage in a hard landing because the crew did not realise the aircraft had bounced on touchdown.
The twinjet (JA610A) had been approaching Tokyo Narita’s runway 16R in crosswind conditions on 20 June 2012. Air traffic control had cautioned about windshear on the parallel runway 16L. Although there was no similar alert for 16R, the 767 crew was prepared for possible turbulence.
Japan Transport Safety Board investigators state that the aircraft underwent large pitch, roll and speed fluctuations as a result of changing wind speeds, presenting a “difficult” task to keep the aircraft’s attitude stable. The inquiry says the 767 was in a nose-down attitude at 20-30ft above ground, and that its descent rate of some 400-600ft/min “could not be sufficiently reduced” during the flare.
“When the pitch significantly decreased after the aircraft passed the runway threshold, it should [have been] recognised that [an] appropriate landing operation would not be possible and the landing should not be continued,” it states.
The captain, who was flying, noticed a shortened interval between automatic height call-outs, and felt the aircraft rapidly descend, and attempted to increase nose-up pitch. But the aircraft landed on its right-hand main gear, with an impact of 1.58g, before bouncing.
Thinking that the main gear was in contact with the runway, the captain reasoned that an early touchdown with the nose-gear – to maintain heading in the crosswind – would be the safest option, and pushed forward on the control column to force the nose down.
This led the 767 to strike the ground on its nose-gear, just before the main gear made second contact with a 1.72g impact. The nose-gear rebounded, before touching down again at 1.82g.
While the captain “momentarily” considered executing a go-around, says the inquiry, he recalled a tail-strike involving an ANA Airbus A320 at Sendai, four months previously, and chose instead to recover the landing.
Four cabin attendants received minor injuries during the incident. The 767 suffered substantial damage including creased upper-crown fuselage panels, cracks to a frame and stringers, and deformation of the nose-gear structure.
flightglobal.com
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