Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 28 December 1997
Aircraft Type: Airbus A310-222
Owner/operator: Middle East Airlines – MEA
Registration Number: 3B-STJ
Location: LEBOR –
ÿ Syria
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Minor, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 149
Component Affected: AutopilotAutopilot
Category: Accident
During descent from FL310, the aircraft experienced a sudden and rapid increase in speed, triggering the autopilot to trip off. This resulted in variations of vertical accelerations ranging from 1g to 2.34g, followed by a decrease to -0.49g. Minor damage occurred in the aft cabin due to pax striking the ceiling.During descent from FL310, the aircraft experienced a sudden and rapid increase in speed, triggering the autopilot to trip off. This resulted in variations of vertical accelerations ranging from 1g to 2.34g, followed by a decrease to -0.49g. Minor damage occurred in the aft cabin due to pax striking the ceiling.
Description
During descent from FL310 the crew observed a sudden increase in speed. They selected speed brake and the autopilot tripped off. The aircraft sustained variations of vertical accelerations from 1 g to 2.34 g then to – .49 g. Minor damage in the aft cabin was caused by pax striking the ceiling.
Primary Cause
Autopilot malfunction triggering rapid acceleration.Autopilot malfunction triggering rapid acceleration.Share on:
