McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 – I-RIBN

Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 17 December 1991

Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32

Owner/operator: Alitalia

Registration Number: I-RIBN

Location: Warszawa-Okecie Airport (WAW) – ÿ Poland

Phase of Flight: Landing

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 96

Component Affected: Aircraft Control System (specifically, autopilot)Aircraft Control System (specifically, autopilot)

Category: Accident

An aircraft incident occurred at Warszawa-Okecie Airport, Poland, involving an autopilot-controlled descent. The aircraft descended from FL250 to 500m QFE under approach radar control, airspeed reached 240 kt, and heading 360 degrees. It crossed the localizer, corrected descent, and then descended on the ILS glide path. After the Outer Marker, it descended below the glide path, triggering the GPWS. The pilot disengaged autopilot, climbed above the glide path, and crossed to the left of the centre line (300 degrees). Visual ground contact was established at 400 ft, with a heading of 150-160 kt. The aircraft touched down nose-first on the left side of the runway, approximately 670m from the threshold, heading 325 degrees at 155 kt, 20-30 kt above flight manual recommended speed. The aircraft bounced and landed with a second touchdown in soft grass to the left of the runway, approximately 860m along the runway. The nose gear leg collapsed, and the lower part of the fuselage sustained damage.An aircraft incident occurred at Warszawa-Okecie Airport, Poland, involving an autopilot-controlled descent. The aircraft descended from FL250 to 500m QFE under approach radar control, airspeed reached 240 kt, and heading 360 degrees. It crossed the localizer, corrected descent, and then descended on the ILS glide path. After the Outer Marker, it descended below the glide path, triggering the GPWS. The pilot disengaged autopilot, climbed above the glide path, and crossed to the left of the centre line (300 degrees). Visual ground contact was established at 400 ft, with a heading of 150-160 kt. The aircraft touched down nose-first on the left side of the runway, approximately 670m from the threshold, heading 325 degrees at 155 kt, 20-30 kt above flight manual recommended speed. The aircraft bounced and landed with a second touchdown in soft grass to the left of the runway, approximately 860m along the runway. The nose gear leg collapsed, and the lower part of the fuselage sustained damage.

Description

Approaching destination Warszawa-Okecie Airport, Poland, the aircraft was flown by the autopilot while engine thrust was controlled manually. The aircraft descended from FL250 to 500 m QFE under approach radar control to a point 5 nm before the threshold of runway 33. The airspeed then was 240 kt and the heading 360 deg. The aircraft crossed the localizer on the right and started to correct while simultaneously descending on the ILS glide path. After the Outer Marker the aircraft went below the glide path which set off the GPWS. The pilot disengaged the autopilot, manually climbed above the glide path and crossed to the left of the centre line (heading 300 deg). Visual ground contact was established at 400 ft, at 150-160 kt. The aircraft touched down, nose gear first, on the left side of the runway, about 670 m from the threshold, heading 325 deg at 155 kt, 20-30 kt above flight manual recommended speed. The aircraft bounced and made a second touchdown in the soft grass to the left of the runway travelling 860 m along the runway. The nose gear leg collapsed and the lower part of the fuselage was damaged. CAUSES: 1) unstabilized approach. 2) pilot dismissed co-pilot suggestion for a missed approach procedure. 3) co-pilot should have better advised pilot regarding aircraft position during the approach.