Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 4 July 2000
Aircraft Type: Tupolev Tu-154B-2
Owner/operator: Malev Hungarian Airlines
Registration Number: HA-LCR
Location: Thessaloniki International Airport (SKG) – ÿ Greece
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 94
Component Affected: Aircraft Undercarriage (specifically, the underside of the fuselage and inboard flaps).Aircraft Undercarriage (specifically, the underside of the fuselage and inboard flaps).
Investigating Agency: AAIASBAAIASB
Category: Accident
On July 15, 1969, a Boeing 737-300, MA262, experienced a significant incident while en route to Thessaloniki, Greece, due to a collision with a Cessna 154B-2, flight CFG851. The flight was cleared for VOR/DME approach to runway 34, and then proceeded to land on runway 28. A controller instructed the pilot to extend the downwind leg for runway 28. The pilot, however, failed to follow this instruction, turning towards runway 28 and executing an S-shaped maneuver. This resulted in significant damage to the aircraft’s fuselage, undercarriage, and inboard flaps. The airplane subsequently entered a holding pattern, and a safe landing was achieved at 14:13 UTC.On July 15, 1969, a Boeing 737-300, MA262, experienced a significant incident while en route to Thessaloniki, Greece, due to a collision with a Cessna 154B-2, flight CFG851. The flight was cleared for VOR/DME approach to runway 34, and then proceeded to land on runway 28. A controller instructed the pilot to extend the downwind leg for runway 28. The pilot, however, failed to follow this instruction, turning towards runway 28 and executing an S-shaped maneuver. This resulted in significant damage to the aircraft’s fuselage, undercarriage, and inboard flaps. The airplane subsequently entered a holding pattern, and a safe landing was achieved at 14:13 UTC.

Description

Because of engine problems on their Boeing 737-300 HA-LES, Tupolev 154B-2 HA-LCR was used for Malev’s regular service to Thessaloniki. Flight MA262 departed Budapest at 12:35 UTC. The en route part of the flight was uneventful. Approaching Thessaloniki, the flight was cleared for VOR/DME approach to runway 34, followed by a visual circle to land on runway 28. Runway 34 was closed due to construction works. Because a Boeing 757, flight CFG851, had not cleared the runway yet after landing, the controller instructed MA262 to extend the downwind leg for runway 28. The flight did not adhere to this instruction and turned towards runway 28, performing an S-shaped manoeuvre to line up with the runway. During the approach the crew had failed to deploy the undercarriage. This was noted by the tower controller, who instructed the flight to go around. A go around was initiated, but the crew was not able to arrest the high descent rate. At 13:57 UTC the underside of the fuselage touched the runway, the airframe and inboard flaps sustaining substantial damage. The airplane became airborne again and entered a holding pattern while debris was removed from the runway. A safe landing was carried out at 14:13 UTC. Cause of the accident: Despite repeated instructions of the control tower the crew did not carried out a short turn for landing, resulting in: – The aircaft was not aligned with the runway in time (unstabilized approach). – Attention of the cockpit crew was to exclusively dedicated to performing sudden maneuvers at low altitude, in order to alignt the plane with the runway. – Failure to lower the undercarriage in accordance with the applicable procedures for this flight phase. Contributing Factors: – The apparent inactivation of the audible warning when the undercarriage was not deployed. – Lack of Cockpit Resources Management.

Source of Information

https://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.phphttps://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php

Primary Cause

Failure to execute a short turn for landing, resulting in an unstabilized approach, coupled with inadequate attention to low-altitude maneuvers and failure to lower the undercarriage.Failure to execute a short turn for landing, resulting in an unstabilized approach, coupled with inadequate attention to low-altitude maneuvers and failure to lower the undercarriage.

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