Narrative:
Carpatair Flight 204, a BAe-146-200, suffered an accident after landing at Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport (OTP), Romania.
The aircraft operated on a flight from Timisoara to Craiova and Bucharest-Otopeni.
The aircraft contacted Otopeni Tower at 18:13 and reported stabilized on the ILS for landing on runway 08L. The controller cleared the flight to land and reported the wind direction as 280°, at a speed of 4 m/s (8 kt).
Runway 08L is 3100 m long, but at the time of the accident the opposite threshold for runway 26L had been displaced by 1400 meters due to construction works. This meant only the first 2100 m of runway was available, until taxiway V.
During the final approach, after receiving the landing clearance, the weather conditions deteriorated rapidly: the wind speed increased, being from variable directions and became gale-like, amid heavy rain.
The aircraft touched down on runway 08L at 18:15:23, well beyond the touchdown zone (approximately 1100 m from the 08L threshold) on the runway centreline. During touchdown there was a tailwind and the runway was contaminated with water. After reducing the engines to idle on the ground and engaging the braking systems, the pilots found that deceleration relative to the remaining distance was very slow. Approaching the threshold, the captain decided to vacate the runway via the high speed turnoff at taxiway V. Entry onto this taxiway was made at high turn radius and high speed. The tyre no.1 of the left main gear burst during this maneuver.
Noting that the aircraft was still at high speed when exiting taxiway V, the pilot steered the aircraft towards taxiway O through a wide left turn. In a strong gusty tailwind and heavy rain, the aircraft pivoted 120° to the left and drifted sharply to the right edge of taxiway O.
Shortly before the aircraft came to a stop, during the skid to the right, and the pivot, the right main landing gear failed, folded under the fuselage, and the aircraft banked to the right side and exited, sideways off taxiway O, partially onto the grassy area. At 18:16:00 the captain declared a MAYDAY, informing that he was evacuating passengers on the left side of the aircraft.
Passengers and crew were safely evacuated. There were no injuries. There was no fire.
Cause of the accident:
The cause of the accident was the high speed at which the runway was cleared after landing.
Contributory causes:
- Sudden worsening of weather conditions during final approach and landing of the aircraft;
- contact with the runway after the touch-down zone, approximately 1,100 m from the 08L threshold.
accident date: 22-04-2008
type: British Aerospace BAe-146-200
registration: YR-BEB
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 22 April 2008 |
| Time: | 18:16 |
| Type: |  British Aerospace BAe-146-200 |
| Operating for: | Carpatair |
| Leased from: | Romavia |
| Registration: | YR-BEB |
| MSN: | E2220 |
| First flight: | 1993 |
| Engines: | 4 Lycoming ALF502R-5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 67 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 73 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport (OTP) ( Romania)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Craiova Airport (CRA/LRCV), Romania |
| Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport (OTP/LROP), Romania | |
| Flightnumber: | V3204 |
Carpatair Flight 204, a BAe-146-200, suffered an accident after landing at Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport (OTP), Romania.
The aircraft operated on a flight from Timisoara to Craiova and Bucharest-Otopeni.
The aircraft contacted Otopeni Tower at 18:13 and reported stabilized on the ILS for landing on runway 08L. The controller cleared the flight to land and reported the wind direction as 280°, at a speed of 4 m/s (8 kt).
Runway 08L is 3100 m long, but at the time of the accident the opposite threshold for runway 26L had been displaced by 1400 meters due to construction works. This meant only the first 2100 m of runway was available, until taxiway V.
During the final approach, after receiving the landing clearance, the weather conditions deteriorated rapidly: the wind speed increased, being from variable directions and became gale-like, amid heavy rain.
The aircraft touched down on runway 08L at 18:15:23, well beyond the touchdown zone (approximately 1100 m from the 08L threshold) on the runway centreline. During touchdown there was a tailwind and the runway was contaminated with water. After reducing the engines to idle on the ground and engaging the braking systems, the pilots found that deceleration relative to the remaining distance was very slow. Approaching the threshold, the captain decided to vacate the runway via the high speed turnoff at taxiway V. Entry onto this taxiway was made at high turn radius and high speed. The tyre no.1 of the left main gear burst during this maneuver.
Noting that the aircraft was still at high speed when exiting taxiway V, the pilot steered the aircraft towards taxiway O through a wide left turn. In a strong gusty tailwind and heavy rain, the aircraft pivoted 120° to the left and drifted sharply to the right edge of taxiway O.
Shortly before the aircraft came to a stop, during the skid to the right, and the pivot, the right main landing gear failed, folded under the fuselage, and the aircraft banked to the right side and exited, sideways off taxiway O, partially onto the grassy area. At 18:16:00 the captain declared a MAYDAY, informing that he was evacuating passengers on the left side of the aircraft.
Passengers and crew were safely evacuated. There were no injuries. There was no fire.
Probable Cause:
Cause of the accident:
The cause of the accident was the high speed at which the runway was cleared after landing.
Contributory causes:
- Sudden worsening of weather conditions during final approach and landing of the aircraft;
- contact with the runway after the touch-down zone, approximately 1,100 m from the 08L threshold.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Runway excursion (veer-off)
Photos
accident date: 22-04-2008
type: British Aerospace BAe-146-200
registration: YR-BEB
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 Craiova Airport to Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport as the crow flies is 175 km (110 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Craiova Airport to Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport as the crow flies is 175 km (110 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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