TAP A20N at Conakry on Sep 2nd 2022, hits motorbike on landing

Last Update: January 4, 2024 / 16:55:58 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Sep 2, 2022

Classification
Accident

Airline
TAP Air Portugal

Flight number
TP-1492

Departure
Lisbon, Portugal

Destination
Conakry, Guinea

Aircraft Registration
CS-TVI

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320-200N

ICAO Type Designator
A20N

A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320-200N, registration CS-TVI performing flight TP-1492 from Lisbon (Portugal) to Conakry (Guinea) with 73 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Conakry's runway 24 at 23:30L (23:30Z), however, the right hand engine (LEAP) collided with a motorbike occupied by two persons that crossed the runway at that moment. The aircraft rolled out without further incident, both occupants of the motorbike died however.

AGAC (Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea) opened an investigation into the accident.

The airport reported the aircraft hit two individuals riding on a motorbike on the runway. The driver was identified as a security agent responsible to protect airport facilities.

The airline expressed their condolences to the families involved. All passengers and crew aboard the aircraft remained uninjured.

The aircraft was still on the ground in Conakry about 16 hours after landing. The return flight TP-1493 was cancelled.

In October 2022 Portugal's GPIAA reported that the pilot flying was the commander, the pilot monitoring the first officer. Already established on final approach the crew noticed a dim stationary light near or on the runway. The discussed the light and concluded it must be runway turning pad or runway exit light. After the aircraft touched down, as soon as the aircraft's headlight range permitted, a motorcycle was observed moving from the center line towards the edge line of the runway in an angle of about 45 degrees with the runway axis. The commander tried to steer the aircraft around the motorcycle with the rudder but could not avoid contact of the right hand engine with the vehicle and its occupants. Subsequently substantial damage was found at the #2 engine. The Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea is investigating the occurrence.

On Jan 4th 2024 Portugal's GPIAA reported Guinea's authorities have completed their investigation with the following conclusion:

The main cause of the accident was the motorcycle incursion onto the runway.

The GPIAA summarized the sequence of events:

The landing was performed by the commander (CM1), acting as pilot flying (PF) and the first officer (CM2) was acting as pilot monitoring (PM).

During the final approach phase, and when already established on final, both pilots saw a light, and according to their description, the light was dim, static and located on or near the runway. They both questioned and talked about what that light would be, assuming that it must be one light from a turning pad or a runway exit light.

At 23:30 UTC, after the aircraft touched down the runway, and when the aircraft headlights range allowed it, a motorcycle was observed moving from the centre of the runway to the edge, in an outbound trajectory of approximately 45º with the axis of the runway.

The PF tried, through the application of rudder, to deviate the plane from the approaching motorcycle but it was not possible to avoid the right engine collision with the vehicle and the two occupants that both were fatally injured.

Substantial damage to the engine #2 was observed and the return flight to Lisbon was cancelled.