ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A320-233 EI-TAF Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport (TGU)
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Status:Information verified through authorities or other official sources.
Date:Friday 30 May 2008
Time:09:40
Type:Silhouette image of generic A320 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Airbus A320-233
Operator:TACA International Airlines
Registration: EI-TAF
MSN: 1374
First flight: 2000-11-29 (7 years 6 months)
Total airframe hrs:21957
Cycles:9992
Engines: 2 IAE V2527E-A5
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 118
Total:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 124
Ground casualties:Fatalities: 2
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport (TGU) (   Honduras)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:San Salvador-Comalapa International Airport (SAL/MSLP), El Salvador
Destination airport:Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport (TGU/MHTG), Honduras
Flightnumber: 390
Narrative:
TACA Flight 390 is a regular flight from San Salvador (SAL), El Salvador to Miami (MIA), USA with an intermediate stop at Tegucigalpa (TGU), Honduras. The A320 took off from San Salvador around 09:05. Prior to landing, the wind information given by the ATC at Tegucigalpa was 190°/10 kt and ATC also confirmed that the runway was wet. Landing configuration was established with slats/flaps fully extended, gear down, ground spoilers armed, autobrake selected to MED.
The aircraft landing weight was 63.5t (max landing weight 64.5t) and a Vapp of 137 kt.The aircraft was cleared to land on runway 02 and landed with Autopilot and Flight Directors OFF, and autothrust engaged in managed speed mode. At time of touch down, IAS was 139 kt and Ground Speed (GS) was 159 kt (estimated tailwind was 12 kt from DFDR data analysis). The A320 and landed at Tegucigalpa's runway 02 around 09:40. Runway 02 is 3297 feet high and has a displaced threshold of 213 m). The Landing Distance Available (LDA) for runway 02 is 1649 m. The touch down occurred at approximately 400 m from the runway 02 displaced threshold. Immediately after touch down, the crew selected MAX REV, and both engine reversers and the ground spoilers deployed normally. The nosewheel touch down occurred 7s after the main landing gear. The crew applied manual braking 4s after main landing gear touch down and commanded maximum pedal braking 10 seconds later.
At 70 kt IAS, upon call-out of the copilot, the captain selected IDLE REV. The remaining distance to the runway end was approximately 190 m. The aircraft overran the runway at 54 kt and dropped down the 20 m embankment and onto a street, sustaining severe damage on impact with the ground.

Runway 02/20 is a 6112 x 148 feet (1863 x 45 meters) asphalt runway. The current NOTAM advised a.o. that the runway could be wet: "RWY 02/20 OPR BUT CTN ADVISED DUE TO WET SURFACE ON RAINY SEASON. 06 MAY 16:00 2008 UNTIL PERM. "

At the morning of the accident, tropical storm Alma buffeted Nicaragua's Pacific coast but was losing force as it headed inland over southern Honduras.

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: AAC El Salvador
Status: Investigation ongoing
Duration: 213 days (7 months)
Accident number: prelim. report
Download report: Preliminary report

Classification:
Runway excursion (overrun)

Sources:
» Avión de TACA se sale de la pista tras aterrizar en aeropuerto de Tegucigalpa (El Tiempo, 30-5-2008)
» TVC Honduras
» TACA

METAR Weather report:
15:00 UTC / 09:00 local time:
MHTG 301500Z 19004KT 2000S -DZ FEW008 BKN020 OCV080 21/19 Q1016 2KM S SW WSW D/C 8KM PCPN CL HZ=
Wind 190 degrees at 4 knots, light drizzle, Ceiling 2,000 ft. broken clouds, few clouds at 800 ft., overcast 8,000 ft., Temperature 21°C, Dewpoint 19°C, QNH 1016 mB

16:00 UTC / 10:00 local time:
MHTG 301600Z 20009KT 3000SW -DZ FEW006 BKN020 OVC080 22/20 Q1017 3KM SW WSW W 8KM CTE E PCPN CL D/C UNL HZ AVION DE TACA ACCIDENTADO EN LA PISTA 19 EN EL AEROPUERTO TONCONTIN=


Photos

photo of Airbus-A320-233-EI-TAF
accident date: 30-05-2008
type: Airbus A320-233
registration: EI-TAF
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from San Salvador-Comalapa International Airport to Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport as the crow flies is 209 km (131 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Airbus A320

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 Honduras
  • 10th worst accident (at the time)
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