Narrative:
Flight 794 departed Houston with a an inoperative no. 1 thrust reverser. On August 20, 2002, the number one thrust reverser had been deactivated by maintenance personnel. The airplane touched down at Phoenix on the centerline of runway 08 about 1,200 feet beyond its threshold. During rollout the captain positioned both thrust levers into reverse but then took the number one thrust lever out of the reverse position and inadvertently moved it to the Take-Off/Go-Around (TOGA) position, while leaving the #2 thrust lever in the full reverse position. Full left rudder and full left brake application did not compensate for the yaw. The airplane continued swerving to the right until exiting the right side of the runway. It crossed the apron east of intersection B8, and experienced the collapse and partial separation of its nose gear strut assembly upon traversing the dirt infield area south of the runway between intersections B9 and B10.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain's failure to maintain directional control and his inadvertent application of asymmetrical engine thrust while attempting to move the #1 thrust lever out of reverse. A factor in the accident was the crew's inadequate coordination and crew resource management."
accident date: 28-08-2002
type: Airbus A320-231
registration: N635AW
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 28 August 2002 |
| Time: | 18:44 |
| Type: |  Airbus A320-231 |
| Operator: | America West Airlines |
| Registration: | N635AW |
| MSN: | 092 |
| First flight: | 1990 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 40084 |
| Cycles: | 18530 |
| Engines: | 2 IAE V2500-A1 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 154 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 159 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ (PHX) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, TX (IAH/KIAH), United States of America |
| Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ (PHX/KPHX), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 794 |
Flight 794 departed Houston with a an inoperative no. 1 thrust reverser. On August 20, 2002, the number one thrust reverser had been deactivated by maintenance personnel. The airplane touched down at Phoenix on the centerline of runway 08 about 1,200 feet beyond its threshold. During rollout the captain positioned both thrust levers into reverse but then took the number one thrust lever out of the reverse position and inadvertently moved it to the Take-Off/Go-Around (TOGA) position, while leaving the #2 thrust lever in the full reverse position. Full left rudder and full left brake application did not compensate for the yaw. The airplane continued swerving to the right until exiting the right side of the runway. It crossed the apron east of intersection B8, and experienced the collapse and partial separation of its nose gear strut assembly upon traversing the dirt infield area south of the runway between intersections B9 and B10.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain's failure to maintain directional control and his inadvertent application of asymmetrical engine thrust while attempting to move the #1 thrust lever out of reverse. A factor in the accident was the crew's inadequate coordination and crew resource management."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Runway excursion
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
accident date: 28-08-2002
type: Airbus A320-231
registration: N635AW
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 Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, TX to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ as the crow flies is 1611 km (1007 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, TX to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ as the crow flies is 1611 km (1007 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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