ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747-412 9V-SMT Auckland International Airport (AKL)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 12 March 2003
Time:15:28
Type:Silhouette image of generic B744 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 747-412
Operator:Singapore Airlines
Registration: 9V-SMT
MSN: 27137/990
First flight: 1993-08-04 (9 years 7 months)
Total airframe hrs:43627
Cycles:6712
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney PW4056
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 20
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 369
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 389
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Auckland International Airport (AKL) (   New Zealand)
Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Auckland International Airport (AKL/NZAA), New Zealand
Destination airport:Singapore-Changi International Airport (SIN/WSSS), Singapore
Flightnumber: 286
Narrative:
Singapore Airlines flight SQ286 taxied to runway 23L at Auckland's International Airport and was cleared for takeoff. When the captain rotated the airplane for lift-off the tail struck the runway and scraped for some 490 metres until the airplane became airborne. The tail strike occurred because the rotation speed was 33 knots less than the 163 knots required for the airplane weight. The rotation speed had been mistakenly calculated for an airplane weighing 100 tonnes less than the actual weight of 9V-SMT. A takeoff weight transcription error, which remained undetected, led to the miscalculation of the takeoff data, which in turn resulted in a low thrust setting and excessively slow takeoff reference speeds. The system defences did not ensure the errors were detected, and the airplane flight management system itself did not provide a final defence against mismatched information being programmed into it.
During the takeoff the airplane moved close to the runway edge and the pilots did not respond correctly to a stall warning.

Probable Cause:

The final report did not contain a "Probable cause".

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: TAIC New Zealand
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 252 days (8 months)
Accident number: 03-003
Download report: Final report

Classification:

Tailstrike
Forced landing on runway

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 5 Safety Recommendations
TAIC issued 5 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of Boeing-747-412-9V-SMT
accident date: 12-03-2003
type: Boeing 747-412
registration: 9V-SMT
 

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 Auckland International Airport to Singapore-Changi International Airport as the crow flies is 8385 km (5241 miles).

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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