Incident Overview

Date: Friday 24 May 2013
Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-232
Owner/operator: Air VIA
Registration Number: LZ-MDR
Location: Varna Airpot (VAR) – ÿ Bulgaria
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 178
Component Affected: Aircraft Control System (specifically, the pilot’s actions regarding tail wind speed and braking)Aircraft Control System (specifically, the pilot’s actions regarding tail wind speed and braking)
Investigating Agency: AAIU BulgariaAAIU Bulgaria
Category: Accident
An Airbus A320-232 aircraft experienced a serious landing accident at Varna Airport (VAR) in Bulgaria, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The aircraft overran the runway, traveled a considerable distance, and impacted a fence. An emergency evacuation was conducted, resulting in two passenger injuries. Contributing factors included inadequate weather analysis, a sudden and rapid change in wind speed and direction, a failure to limit tail wind speed, and an incorrect landing decision, potentially due to weather conditions requiring a missed landing.An Airbus A320-232 aircraft experienced a serious landing accident at Varna Airport (VAR) in Bulgaria, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The aircraft overran the runway, traveled a considerable distance, and impacted a fence. An emergency evacuation was conducted, resulting in two passenger injuries. Contributing factors included inadequate weather analysis, a sudden and rapid change in wind speed and direction, a failure to limit tail wind speed, and an incorrect landing decision, potentially due to weather conditions requiring a missed landing.

Description

The Airbus A320-232 sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion accident upon landing at Varna Airport (VAR), Bulgaria. The aircraft overran runway 09 and traveled about 200 m over a grass area before crossing a perimeter road and impacting a fence. An emergency evacuation was performed during which two passengers were injured. Contributing factors (translated from Bulgarian): 1. Insufficient analysis of the general weather conditions as forecast and an underestimation of the actual weather by the meteorological office at Varna Airport ATS Centre and flight crew during descent of the aircraft. 2. Sharp, dynamic change in the parameters of wind speed and direction, just before touchdown the aircraft. 3. Failure by the flight crew to limit tail wind speed of the plane and wrong decision by the pilot to land, subject to weather conditions necessitating missed, balked landing, going to a holding area or alternate 4. Aircraft touched down around the middle of the runway at a speed greater than the speed of approach (Vapp). Automatic braking was disabled during braking by the pilot flying, as he was in arrears with the activation of the maximum speed of the brakes. 5. Increased workload of the captain: – Lack of experience of the co-pilot of the aircraft type; – Shortening the time for landing due to next scheduled flight of the plane.

Primary Cause

Inadequate weather analysis and estimation, specifically concerning the impact of wind speed and direction on the aircraft’s trajectory.Inadequate weather analysis and estimation, specifically concerning the impact of wind speed and direction on the aircraft’s trajectory.

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