Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 24 January 2007
Aircraft Type: Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
Owner/operator: Air Nostrum
Registration Number: EC-IBM
Location: Barcelona Airport (BCN) – ÿ Spain
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 44
Component Affected: Landing Gear Extension LeverLanding Gear Extension Lever
Investigating Agency: CIAIACCIAIAC
Category: Accident
A Canadian CRJ200ER passenger jet, en route from Valladolid to Barcelona, experienced a significant landing incident due to a failure of the flaps system before touchdown. The aircraft initiated a ‘flap fail’ warning, leading to a belly landing in a gear-up configuration. The crew, operating under standard procedures, failed to fully extend the flaps before touchdown, resulting in a significant runway slide and subsequent emergency evacuation. The incident highlights a critical failure in the flaps actuation sequence, potentially exacerbated by underlying technical issues within the flaps system.A Canadian CRJ200ER passenger jet, en route from Valladolid to Barcelona, experienced a significant landing incident due to a failure of the flaps system before touchdown. The aircraft initiated a ‘flap fail’ warning, leading to a belly landing in a gear-up configuration. The crew, operating under standard procedures, failed to fully extend the flaps before touchdown, resulting in a significant runway slide and subsequent emergency evacuation. The incident highlights a critical failure in the flaps actuation sequence, potentially exacerbated by underlying technical issues within the flaps system.

Description

A Canadair CRJ200ER passenger jet, registration EC-IBM, was on a scheduled passenger flight operated by Air Nostrum, with call sign ANS-8665, from Valladolid Airport (VLL) to Barcelona Airport (BCN). Onboard the aircraft were 40 passengers and a crew of 4. On the two previous flights, there had been problems with extending the flaps before landing, first in Paris and then in Valladolid, where the aircraft had to land with the flaps retracted. During the ground tests performed by the crew in Valladolid, the flaps extended and retracted normally, and so the captain decided to continue with the flights as scheduled. During the flight, the crew went over the abnormal procedures to be followed in case of a repeat failure of the flaps system. After taking off from Valladolid, the flaps were retracted normally and remained retracted during the cruise and descent phases until the initial approach to Barcelona, at which time they failed to extend to the 8-degree position when commanded, resulting in a “flap fail” warning on the EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System). The copilot noted the discrepancy between the commanded 8ø position on the flaps lever and the 0ø indicated position. At that time they were below the clouds and under ATC radar control. In the zero-flaps configuration, the ILS approach speed, in accordance with the relevant procedure, had to be maintained above 180 kt. ATC cleared them for the runway 25R approach and informed of a moderate intensity crosswind of 14 kt from 320ø. The aircraft descended until it touched down at an IAS of 172 kt, at which time the crew realized they had not lowered the landing gear. After a long slide on the runway, the aircraft stopped 240 m before the end of the runway. There was no fire, though high temperatures and kerosene leaks were detected. A firefighting vehicle that was on the tarmac immediately reported to the scene, and sprayed the part of the aircraft in contact with the ground with fire retardant foam. The aircraft, which was stranded in the middle of the runway, was evacuated using the two front doors 1L and 1R, and the 2R overwing exit. The emergency window on the left side was not opened. Two passengers were slightly bruised during the evacuation. The remaining occupants were not injured. CAUSES: “It is considered that the omission to actuate the landing gear extension lever, before touchdown, was the direct cause of the accident. Consequently, a belly landing in a gear-up configuration followed. A contributing factor was the presence of certain technical anomalies in the operation of the flaps system which detracted from the attention of the crew.”

Primary Cause

Omission of landing gear extension lever activation prior to touchdown, resulting in a belly landing in a gear-up configuration.Omission of landing gear extension lever activation prior to touchdown, resulting in a belly landing in a gear-up configuration.

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