CAA A320 at Kisangani on May 1st 2013, rejected takeoff due to bird strike deflates all 4 main gear tyres

Last Update: October 6, 2020 / 20:28:32 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
May 1, 2013

Classification
Incident

Cause
Rejected takeoff due to bird strike

Airline
CAA Compagnie Africaine Aviation

Flight number
FPY-343

Departure
Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo

Destination
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aircraft Registration
9Q-CCA

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320

ICAO Type Designator
A320

A CAA Compagnie Africaine Aviation Airbus A320-200, registration 9Q-CCA performing flight FPY-343 from Kisangani to Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) with 126 passengers and 6 crew, blew all 4 main gear tyres as result of a rejected takeoff from runway 13 of Kisangani.

The French BEA reported in their weeky bulletin quoting Congolese Authorities, that the Airbus A320-200 registration 9Q-CAA was rolling/taxiing to the departure runway when all 4 main gear tyres burst at about 15:45L (14:45Z). The Accident Investigation Board of the Democratic Republic of Congo rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation.

The crew of the aircraft reported they were accelerating for takeoff when an engine ingested a bird prompting the crew to reject takeoff at high speed and brake hard, which resulted in all 4 main gear tyres deflating.

A passenger reported that the aircraft had taxied to the runway, turned onto the runway and was accelerating for takeoff, when suddenly the brakes came on hard, the nose made a pronounced down movement and the aircraft came to a stop disabled on the runway, emergency services responded. The passengers disembarked onto the runway and were taken to the terminal.

Another aircraft took the passengers to Kinshasa in the evening.

CAA currently operate three Airbus A320-200, according to ATDB the tailnumbers are 9Q-CCA, 9Q-CAT and 9Q-CCO with another Airbus A320-200 9Q-CSB in storage, these tailnumbers supported by photographic evidence while there is no trace of an Airbus A320 with the tailnumber 9Q-CAA (this tailnumber once belonged to a Boeing 727-200, see Accident: Compagnie Africaine Aviation B722 at Kinshasa on Jan 2nd 2010, veered off runway on landing).

On Oct 6th 2020 the final report in French only, dated May 11th 2013 and released by the DR Congo's accident investigation Bureau Permanent d'Enquetes d'Accidents/Incidents d'Aviation (BPEA), surfaced on an otherwise currently defunct website by the BPEA (Editorial note: to serve the purpose of global prevention of the repeat of causes leading to an occurrence an additional timely release of all occurrence reports in the only world spanning aviation language English would be necessary, a French only release does not achieve this purpose as set by ICAO annex 13 and just forces many aviators to waste much more time and effort each in trying to understand the circumstances leading to the occurrence. Aviators operating internationally are required to read/speak English besides their local language, investigators need to be able to read/write/speak English to communicate with their counterparts all around the globe).

The report concludes the probable cause of the incident was:

the presence of an obstacle (bird) on the runway.

The BPEA reported the aircraft had been cleared for takeoff from runway 13 and was accelerating for takeoff when the commander heard abnormal noise from the left hand engine (CFM56) consistent with a compressor stall and observed the engine's EGT rise to 890 degrees C. Before reaching V1 the commander rejected takeoff and decided to return to the apron. Once arriving at the apron all four main tyres deflated.

The BPEA reported the airline did not await investigators to reach the incident scene, but returned the aircraft to Kinshasa. The aircraft resumed service three days after the occurrence without the investigators ever having opportunity to see the damaged aircraft.

In addition, the BPEA complained DR Congo's CAA did not provide the documents about maintenance etc. as requested by the BPEA.

The BPEA analysed that the captain heard unusual noises during the takeoff run, confirmed by engine indications the left hand engine had suffered a compressor stall and its EGT was fluctuating reaching up to 890 degrees C. At a speed of 155 KIAS he rejected takeoff and applied excessive braking which resulted in the brake blocks overheating and melting the fuse plugs of the main tyres.

The airport authority does not have a safety management system or an emergency plan. In addition, it did not have sufficient equipment to keep birds away from the airport's movement areas. The airport air traffic controller was not licensed.

DR Congo's Civil Aviation Authority did not provide adequate regulations nor did the CAA enforce or help operators to understand the regulations. There was no continuous oversight.

The BPEA analysed the A320 was in good and airworthy condition at the time of the occurrence. The left hand engine ingested a bird during the takeoff run in dusk conditions prompting the captain to reject takeoff which in turn caused the fuse plugs of main tyres to melt and deflate the tyres. Weather was no factor in the occurrence.