TAP A320 at Helsinki on Apr 25th 2017, contaminated wings on departure

Last Update: May 1, 2017 / 12:50:26 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of TAP Air Portugal CS-TNP, Airbus A320 — TAP Air Portugal CS-TNP, Airbus A320 (Photo credit: D464-Darren Hall / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 25, 2017

Classification
Incident

Airline
TAP Air Portugal

Flight number
TP-791

Departure
Helsinki, Finland

Destination
Lisbon, Portugal

Aircraft Registration
CS-TNP

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320

ICAO Type Designator
A320

A TAP Portugal Airbus A320-200, registration CS-TNP performing flight TP-791 from Helsinki (Finland) to Lisbon (Portugal), had arrived in Helsinki at about 06:00L (03:00Z) and remained on the ground until 10:00L (07:00Z) when the aircraft began its departure roll on runway 04R. The aircraft became airborne without incident and continued to Lisbon for a safe landing about 4:50 hours later.

A passenger with professional aviation background told The Aviation Herald, that a lot of snow fell while they were waiting for boarding and boarded the aircraft, the whole aircraft was basically covered with snow while at the stand. Slush dropped off the aircraft during taxi. However, the wings were still contaminated with wet slush and ice when the aircraft began its departure roll, no de-icing had been performed prior to departure. The passenger had observed other aircraft being de-iced before departure. During the departure roll a lot of slush was blown off the aircraft and wings, slush, ice and water obscured the passenger windows. Later in the climb out the wings appeared clean.

In the evening of Apr 30th 2017 Finland's Civil Aviation Authority reported they asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Portugal to investigate the occurrence due to possible presence of clear ice on the wings of the TAP Airbus A320. For flight safety contamination has always to be removed from the surfaces of the wings, a number of accidents were caused by incomplete de-icing or de-icing performed by untrained staff. Contamination of wings can substantially decrease the ability of the wing to produce lift, the length of the runway 04R (3,500 meters, the longest at Vantaa Airport) may have reduced the risk. According to feedback from Portugal Portugal's CAA have already contacted the airline.

METARS:
EFHK 250920Z 14014KT 9999 BKN012 BKN050 05/02 Q1001 TEMPO SCT020CB=
EFHK 250850Z 15015KT 9999 SCT010 BKN050 04/02 Q1001 TEMPO SCT020CB=
EFHK 250820Z 17014KT 9999 BKN010 BKN050 04/02 Q1000 BECMG FEW010 BKN050=
EFHK 250750Z 14013KT 9999 SCT007 BKN009 04/02 Q1000 BECMG SCT010 BKN015=
EFHK 250720Z 14014KT 9999 FEW005 BKN007 02/01 Q1000 BECMG SCT007 BKN015=
EFHK 250650Z 13013KT 9999 BKN004 BKN006 01/01 Q1000 BECMG FEW004 BKN012=
EFHK 250620Z 13013KT 9999 -SG BKN004 01/00 Q1000 BECMG BKN010=
EFHK 250550Z 11014KT 0700 R04R/1000N R15/0900V1400D R22L/1000V1500D R04L/1000N SN OVC003 00/M00 Q1000 BECMG 9999 NSW BKN010=
EFHK 250520Z 11014KT 1400 R04R/P1500U R15/P1500N R22L/P1500N R04L/P1500U SN BKN005 01/M00 Q1000 BECMG 9999 NSW BKN010=
EFHK 250450Z 12016KT 3000 -SNRA FEW009 BKN014 02/M00 Q1000 TEMPO 2000 SN BKN009=
EFHK 250420Z 11012KT 9999 -RASN FEW015 BKN030 02/00 Q1001 BECMG 2500 SNRA BKN009=
EFHK 250350Z 11009KT 9999 -RA FEW014 BKN028 03/M01 Q1001 BECMG 2500 SNRA=
EFHK 250320Z 12010KT 9999 BKN045 03/M01 Q1001 BECMG 2500 SN=
EFHK 250250Z 08008KT CAVOK 03/M01 Q1001 BECMG 2500 SN=
EFHK 250220Z 08008KT CAVOK 02/M01 Q1002 BECMG 2500 SN=
EFHK 250150Z 08009KT CAVOK 02/M01 Q1002 NOSIG=