Incident Overview
Description
The aircraft touched down normally on the centreline of runway 08 after a flight from London-Heathrow Airport. It veered slightly to port when the captain selected “ground idle”, but this effect is expected, and is normally corrected easily with rudder and/or brake. On this occasion, normal corrective action was ineffective, and the captain was unable to correct the swing to port. When the aircraft neared the runway edge lights, power was applied to the port engines but this also failed to bring the aircraft back on to the correct heading, and it left the runway and became bogged in the soft ground alongside it. The aircraft landed at 21:53 hrs. During the approach in rain and snow, the pilot was given the runway conditions: wind 090/8 kts; 5 mm. of slush, and braking action “Moderate” to “Good”. At 22:15 hrs. the slush depth was measured as 15 mm. but braking action as measured by Tapley meter was still “Good”. Inspection of the aircraft showed no defects which could have contributed to the accident, but both tyres on the starboard wheels showed ‘scald’ marks which are indicative of aquaplaning.
Primary Cause
AquaplaningAquaplaningShare on:
