Air Canada Flight 624

Last updated

Air Canada Flight 624
Air Canada A320 C-FTJP.jpg
C-FTJP, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2008
Accident
Date29 March 2015 (2015-03-29)
Summary Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error
Site Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia, Canada
44°51′53″N63°31′42″W / 44.8646°N 63.5284°W / 44.8646; -63.5284
Aircraft
Aircraft type Airbus A320-211
Operator Air Canada
IATA flight No.AC624
ICAO flight No.ACA624
Call signAIR CANADA 624
Registration C-FTJP
Flight origin Toronto Pearson International Airport, Ontario, Canada
Destination Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Occupants138
Passengers133
Crew5
Fatalities0
Injuries25
Survivors138

Air Canada Flight 624 [1] [2] [3] was a scheduled Canadian domestic passenger flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Halifax, Nova Scotia. During heavy snow and poor visibility, at 00:43 ADT (03:43 UTC) on 29 March 2015, the Airbus A320-211 landed short of the runway and was severely damaged. Twenty-six people were injured.

Contents

Accident

Air Canada Flight 624 departed from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) bound for Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). It was carrying 133 passengers and five crew. The Airbus A320 operating the flight, registration C-FTJP, impacted the ground 225 metres (738 ft) short of the threshold of runway 05 (which is not equipped for precision landing), [4] smashing through an ILS-LOC antenna array. This impact caused the landing gear to separate from the aircraft. The plane also impacted a power line, which cut power to the airport. [5] The aircraft then climbed an embankment up to the runway level, skidded on its belly and stopped 570 metres (1,870 ft) past the threshold. [4] The Halifax airport was without electricity for about 90 minutes.

The aircraft was extensively damaged, having lost all landing gear and its port engine. The wings and tailplane were also damaged. Both pilots, twenty-three passengers and a flight attendant were taken to hospital. None of the injuries were life-threatening, [4] [6] :7 and all but one of those taken to hospital were released the same day. [7] The weather at the time of the accident was described as "stormy" (winter conditions). The loss of power to the airport was due to the aircraft clipping transmission lines before hitting the ground. [8] Electricity was restored to the airport by 02:12 ADT. [5] [6] :7

While the aircraft collided with objects outside the airport perimeter and was damaged beyond repair, Air Canada initially described the accident as a "hard landing". [9]

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft was an Airbus A320-211 equipped with two CFM56-5A1 engines. Its serial number was 233 with a fleet number of 214, and it first flew in 1991. It was owned by GECAS and leased to Air Canada. As a result of the accident, the aircraft was written off. [10]

The captain had been with Air Canada for more than nine years and had logged 11,765 flight hours, including 5,755 hours on the Airbus A320. The first officer had been with the airline for 15 years and had 11,300 flight hours, with 6,392 of them on the Airbus A320. [6] :8

Investigation

The accident was investigated by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. [11] [6] Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) investigators from France and two technical advisers from Airbus travelled to Canada to participate in the investigation. [12] As a result of the accident, Air Canada revised its incorrect Airbus A320-200 Standard Operating Procedure.

The final report was released in May 2017, and showed no mechanical faults contributing to the accident, but identified multiple contributing factors for the accident. Investigators determined that the airline's standard operating procedure in regard to the selected landing mode (Flight Path Angle Guidance) was over-reliant on the Airbus' automation and led to excessive loss of altitude. Per the SOP, the crew need not have monitored the aircraft's altitude or relation to the runway to make any subsequent adjustments to the flight path angle after the final approach fix. Subsequently, the captain and first officer failed to notice or respond to the fact that the aircraft autopilot selected a steep vertical angle flight path, causing a drop below the minimum safe altitude. Furthermore, limited visibility hampered the crew's ability to accurately perceive their surroundings. [6]

Litigation

A class action lawsuit was introduced against Air Canada, the Halifax Airport, NAV Canada, Transport Canada, Airbus and the aircraft's pilots which alleges that negligence on the part of the defendants caused the crash, inflicting physical and psychological harm onto the passengers. [13] As of November 2022, the lawsuit was still ongoing. [14] Other separate lawsuits are being assessed by medical professionals, with settlements based on the relative severity of each client's injuries. [15]

On 30 March 2017, Air Canada filed a lawsuit against Airbus, alleging that the manufacturer "failed to identify shortcomings of the Airbus A320", which included uncommanded descent below the pre-programmed glide path. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halifax Stanfield International Airport</span> International airport in Goffs, Nova Scotia, Canada

Halifax Stanfield International Airport is a Canadian airport in Goffs, Nova Scotia, a rural community of the Halifax Regional Municipality. It serves the Halifax region, mainland Nova Scotia, and adjacent areas in the neighbouring Maritime provinces. The airport is named in honour of Robert Stanfield, the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and former leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Airlines</span> Division of Air India Limited

Indian Airlines was a state-owned airline in India that later became a division of Air India Limited before ultimately ceasing operations. It was based in Delhi and focused primarily on domestic routes, along with several international services to neighbouring countries in Asia and limited flights to the Middle East and South-East Asia. It was a division of Air India Limited after the merger of eight pre-Independence domestic airlines.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1998.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gander International Airport</span> Airport in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Gander International Airport is located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and is operated by the Gander International Airport Authority. Canadian Forces Base Gander shares the airfield but is a separate entity from the airport. The airport is sometimes referred to as the "Crossroads of the World", and is classified as an international airport by Transport Canada.

PT Lion Mentari Airlines, operating as Lion Air, is an Indonesian low-cost airline. Based in Jakarta, Lion Air is the country's largest privately run airline, the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia and the largest airline of Indonesia. With Wings Air and Batik Air, Lion Group is the country's largest airline's group. The airline operates domestic as well as international routes, which connects different destinations of Indonesia to Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, India, Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as charter routes to Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Macau, with more than 630 flights per day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air France Flight 358</span> Aviation accident in 2005

Air France Flight 358 was a regularly scheduled international flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, to Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario, Canada. On the afternoon of 2 August 2005, while landing at Pearson Airport, the Airbus A340-313E operating the route overran the runway and crashed into nearby Etobicoke Creek, approximately 300 m (980 ft) beyond the end of the runway. All 309 passengers and crew on board the Airbus survived, but twelve people sustained serious injuries. The accident highlighted the vital role played by highly trained flight attendants during an emergency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Air Flight 072</span> 2000 aviation accident

Gulf Air Flight 072 (GF072/GFA072) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Cairo International Airport in Egypt to Bahrain International Airport in Bahrain, operated by Gulf Air. On 23 August 2000 at 19:30 Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), the Airbus A320 crashed minutes after executing a go-around upon failed attempt to land on Runway 12. The flight crew suffered from spatial disorientation during the go-around and crashed into the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf 2 km (1 nmi) from the airport. All 143 people on board the aircraft were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Airlines Flight 137</span> 1998 aviation accident

Philippine Airlines Flight 137 was a scheduled passenger flight from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Bacolod City Domestic Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godofredo P. Ramos Airport</span> Airport serving Boracay Island, Philippines

Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, also known as Caticlan Airport and recently, Boracay Airport by its developer Trans Aire, is an airport serving the general area of the municipality of Malay, located in the province of Aklan in the Philippines. It is one of the two gateways to Boracay, the other being Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo. The airport is classified as a Class 1 principal airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lufthansa Flight 2904</span> 1993 passenger plane crash in Warsaw, Poland

Lufthansa Flight 2904 was an Airbus A320-200 flying from Frankfurt, Germany to Warsaw, Poland that overran the runway at Okęcie International Airport on 14 September 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Airlines Flight 605</span> 1990 passenger aircraft landing crash in Bangalore, India

Indian Airlines Flight 605 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Bombay to Bangalore. On 14 February 1990, an Airbus A320-231 registered as VT-EPN, crashed onto a golf course while attempting to land at Bangalore, killing 92 of 146 people on board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAM Airlines Flight 3054</span> 2007 plane crash in São Paulo, Brazil

TAM Airlines Flight 3054 (JJ3054/TAM3054) was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by TAM Airlines from Porto Alegre to São Paulo, Brazil. On the evening of July 17, 2007, the Airbus A320-233 serving the flight overran runway 35L at São Paulo during moderate rain and crashed into a nearby TAM Express warehouse adjacent to a Shell gas station. The plane exploded on impact, resulting in the death of all 187 passengers and crew on board, as well as 12 people on the ground. This crash surpassed Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 as the deadliest aviation accident in Brazilian territory and in South American history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Inter Flight 148</span> 1992 plane crash in the Vosges Mountains, France

Air Inter Flight 148 was a scheduled passenger flight from Lyon Satolas Airport to Strasbourg Airport in France. On 20 January 1992, the Airbus A320 operating the flight crashed into the slopes of the Vosges Mountains, France, near Mont Sainte-Odile, while on a non-precision approach at Strasbourg Airport. Eighty-seven of the 96 people on board were killed, while the remaining nine were all injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TACA Flight 390</span> 2008 aviation accident in Honduras

TACA Flight 390 was a scheduled flight on May 30, 2008, by TACA International from San Salvador, El Salvador, to Miami, Florida, United States, with intermediate stops at Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula in Honduras. The aircraft, an Airbus A320-233, overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's Toncontín International Airport and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.

Air France has been in operation since 1933. Its aircraft have been involved in a number of major accidents and incidents. The deadliest accident of the airline occurred on June 1, 2009, when Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-203, flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean with 228 fatalities. A selected list of the most noteworthy of these events is given below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiana Airlines Flight 162</span> 2015 aviation accident

Asiana Airlines Flight 162 was a regular short-haul international passenger flight from Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea, to Hiroshima Airport in Hiroshima, Japan. On 14 April 2015, the Airbus A320-232 aircraft touched down short of the runway, struck the localizer array, skidded onto the runway on its tail, and spun 120 degrees before finally coming to a rest on the grass, opposite the terminal building. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the left wing and engine. Of the 82 people aboard, 27 were injured, one seriously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Canada Flight 759</span> 2017 aviation incident

On July 7, 2017, an Airbus A320-211 operating as Air Canada Flight 759 was nearly involved in an accident at San Francisco International Airport in San Mateo County, California, United States. The flight, which originated at Toronto Pearson International Airport, had been cleared by air traffic control to land on runway 28R and was on final approach to land on that runway; however, instead of lining up with the runway, the aircraft had lined up with the parallel taxiway, on which four fully loaded and fueled passenger airplanes were stopped awaiting takeoff clearance. The flight crew initiated a go-around prior to landing, after which it landed without further incident. The aircraft on the taxiway departed for their intended destinations without further incident. The subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the Air Canada airplane descended to 59 feet (18 m) above the ground before it began its climb, and that it missed colliding with one of the aircraft on the taxiway by 14 feet (4.3 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LATAM Perú Flight 2213</span> 2022 aviation accident

LATAM Perú Flight 2213 (LP2213/LPE2213) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight in Peru from Lima to Juliaca. On 18 November 2022, the Airbus A320neo was taking off from Jorge Chávez International Airport when it collided with a fire engine that was crossing the runway, killing two firefighters and injuring a third, who died of his injuries seven months later. 40 passengers were injured.

References

  1. "Air Canada AC624 touched down 335 metres short of runway, TSB says". CBC News. CBC. March 29, 2015.
  2. "Air Canada Flight AC624: Toronto to Halifax – AC624 Air Canada Flight". Airportia.com. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  3. "Full flight information and flight history for Air Canada aircraft C-FTJP". Flightradar24 AB. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Hradecky, Simon (March 29, 2015). "Accident: Air Canada A320 at Halifax on Mar 29th 2015, touched down short of runway". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Air Canada AC624 slides off runway in Halifax, 23 sent to hospital". CBC News. CBC. March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Collision with terrain, Air Canada, Airbus Industrie A320-211, C-FTJP, Halifax/Stanfield International Airport, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 29 March 2015" (PDF). Transportation Safety Board of Canada. May 18, 2017. A15H0002. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  7. "Air Canada Flight 624 crashes into power line upon landing in Halifax". Global News . Global Television Network. March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  8. "Airbus A320 Air Canada plane crashes on runway at Halifax airport" . The Independent . March 29, 2015. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  9. "Air Canada Flight 624 crash: 'Hard landing' too soft a term?". CBC News. March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  10. "C-FTJP Air Canada Airbus A320-211 – cn 233". Planespotters.net. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  11. Doucette, Keith. "23 treated in hospital after Air Canada plane slides off Halifax runway". Citynews. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  12. "Flight AC 624, Airbus A320, registered C-FTJP – Halifax Stanfield International Airport (Canada), 29 March 2015" (Archive). Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety . Retrieved on April 2, 2015.
  13. "Air Canada 624 class action certified". NEWS 95.7. December 20, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  14. Jim Bronskill (November 25, 2022). "Halifax air crash voice recording can be disclosed in civil case, Supreme Court rules". Wings . Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  15. "One year after Air Canada crash, passengers say they struggle with PTSD". CBC News. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  16. Thomson, Aly. "Air Canada lawsuit accuses Airbus of negligence in Halifax crash landing". Atlantic. Retrieved March 31, 2017.

Further reading