Easyjet A319 at Munich on Jul 3rd 2017, severe hard landing at 3.01G

Last Update: January 18, 2018 / 15:22:35 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Easyjet G-EZAW, Airbus A319 — Easyjet G-EZAW, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: Jonathan Winton Photography / Flickr / License: CC by-nd)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jul 3, 2017

Classification
Incident

Airline
Easyjet

Flight number
U2-6913

Departure
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Destination
Munich, Germany

Aircraft Registration
G-EZAW

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

Airport
Munich International Airport, Munich

Airport ICAO Code
EDDM

An Easyjet Airbus A319-100, registration G-EZAW performing flight U2-6913 from Edinburgh,SC (UK) to Munich (Germany) with 149 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Munich's runway 26L at 21:23L (19:23Z) but touched down hard at 3.01G vertical acceleration. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The aircraft received substantial damage.

The return flight was cancelled.

On Aug 10th 2017 the UK AAIB reported that a post flight inspection revealed no damage, therefore the German BFU did not open an investigation. The AAIB however rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation into the occurrence.

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Munich until Aug 2nd 2017, then positioned to Berlin Schoenefeld (Germany) and resumed service the following morning (Aug 3rd).

On Jan 11th 2018 the AAIB released their bulletin concluding the probable causes of the serious incident (editorial note: ?) were:

Following an ILS approach during which an FMGC failed, neither pilot realised that the aircraft was in the incorrect attitude for landing until it was too late to take corrective action. As a result, the aircraft landed heavily causing damage to the nose and right main landing gear. It is possible that distractions and high workload during the approach contributed to the nose-down pitch input being made immediately before touchdown.

The AAIB reported that the aircraft touched down at 3.01G, rated a severe hard landing, and received damage to nose and right main gear strut, all gear struts were replaced, as well as the nose gear bay and the avionics bay.

The AAIB wrote:

The aircraft was performing a scheduled passenger service between Edinburgh and Munich Airports. The co-pilot was pilot flying (PF). The aircraft was established on an approach to Runway 26L at Munich when, at about 1,500 ft aal, FMGC1 froze. Both flight crew attempted to alter the target approach speed but were unable to do so through either the FMGC or the Flight Control Unit. At 1,288 ft aal, the engines began to spool up un‑commanded by the crew, so the autopilot (AP) and autothrust (A/THR) were disconnected by the PF. The rest of the approach was flown manually with manual thrust. During the approach, a cabin pressure landing elevation fault was triggered, thought to be associated with the failure of FMGC1.

As the aircraft approached the touchdown point, the PF selected a lower-than-normal pitch attitude and the aircraft touched down firmly. The crew taxied the aircraft to the stand as normal but a LOAD report1 was printed automatically, indicating the aircraft had suffered a hard landing. Subsequent enquiries revealed the touchdown had resulted in a maximum recorded vertical acceleration of 3.01 g.

The first officer, about 1644 hours flying experience on type, was pilot flying, the commander (41, ATPL, 11,179 hours total, 9,300 hours on type) was pilot monitoring.

The AAIB analysed:

The aircraft was established on a standard approach to Munich Airport in good weather and light winds. At around 1,500 ft aal, FMGC1 froze. Because of the perceived misbehaviour of the failed FMGC, including the un-commanded increase in thrust, the PF disconnected both the AP and A/THR and flew the approach manually. This would have increased his workload, as would the distraction caused by the FMGC failure and cabin pressure landing elevation fault.

As the aircraft passed through 30 ft radio altitude, there was a nose-down sidestick input which lowered the pitch attitude of the aircraft. The commander did not notice the control input because he was looking ahead and did not notice the abnormal landing attitude until it was too late to act effectively. The touchdown was flat or slightly nose-down with a rate of descent high enough to damage the right main and nose landing gear.

The reason for the nose-down sidestick input could not be determined but it was possible that a combination of the distractions caused by the FMGC1 failure with the higher workload of flying the aircraft with the A/THR disconnected had a contributory effect.

On Jan 18th 2018 Germany's BFU released following statement: "Die BFU hat die Meldung erhalten und im Einklang mit der gültigen Gesetzgebung die Untersuchung an das AAIB abgegeben. Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland und damit die BFU steht dem AAIB als akkreditierter Repräsentant zur Verfügung und unterstützt nach deren Vorgaben die Untersuchung. Fälschlicherweise wurde diese Schwere Störung im Bulletin Juli 2017 nicht mit aufgeführt. Dieser Fehler ist mittlerweile behoben." (Translation: The BFU received the occurrence report and delegated the investigation to the AAIB in line with current legislation. The Bundesrepublik Deutschland and thus the BFU are available to the AAIB as accredited representative and assist the investigation according to their guidance. Erroneously the serious incident was not listed in the July 2017 bulletin, this error has been rectified in the meantime).

Metars:
EDDM 032050Z 07001KT CAVOK 15/11 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 032020Z VRB01KT CAVOK 16/10 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 031950Z 27002KT CAVOK 18/10 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 031920Z 29002KT CAVOK 20/10 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 031850Z 28003KT 9999 FEW060TCU SCT090 21/09 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 031820Z 28003KT 240V310 CAVOK 22/09 Q1022 NOSIG=
EDDM 031750Z 27004KT CAVOK 22/09 Q1021 NOSIG=
EDDM 031720Z 30006KT CAVOK 22/08 Q1021 NOSIG=
EDDM 031650Z 28005KT 240V320 CAVOK 22/10 Q1021 NOSIG=
EDDM 031620Z 29006KT 250V320 CAVOK 22/09 Q1022 NOSIG=