Narrative:
The MD-81 took off from Copenhagen Airport, Denmark at 17:34 hours local time. At around 18:53 local time, the crew began the descent for an ILS approach to runway 09 at Grenoble Airport, France.
It was a dark night with the moon still below the horizon. The crew was established on the localizer at about 10 nm from the runway threshold and had the runway in sight.
At 19:23, at a height of approximately 1500 ft, the undercarriage was deployed at an indicated airspeed (IAS) 157 kt.
At a height of about 1000 ft, the crew disengaged the autopilot. The aircraft was stabilized at a slightly higher speed than Vapp, on the glide path and with a vertical speed of -700 ft/min. At a height of approximately 200 ft, the pilot flying disconnected the auto-throttle.
The approach remained stabilized on the 3° glide path at a speed equal to Vapp + 3 kt and a descent rate of 700 ft/min until a height of 100 ft. Passing 100 ft, the IAS started to decrease and went below Vapp. The rate of descent increased to 850 ft/min.
The pitch was 4° and the nose started to lift slightly. At a height of 30 ft, the plane passed slightly below the glide slope at an IAS of Vapp -4 kt.
At a height of 15 ft, the elevator was operated abruptly causing a rapid increase in pitch attitude. Two seconds later, the rear fuselage touched down, with a pitch of 10.7°.
The traces left on the runway indicate a contact point 166 meters before the touchdown zone. The vertical acceleration value reached a maximum of 1.95 g.
Two seconds later, the throttles were brought back and the thrust reversers were deployed. The aircraft then rolled to the apron.
CAUSE (translated from French):
The accident was caused by continuing the landing when the situational awareness of the crew had deteriorated. This led to an inaccurate estimate of the height from the end point of the trajectory and no flare.
The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The crew did not select the maximum illumination of the landing lights;
- Runway 09 at the Grenoble-Isère airport is not equipped with visual indicator approach slope;
- Management of the manual throttles to land was inadequate.
Runway mishap
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 6 February 2010 |
| Time: | 19:25 |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas MD-81 |
| Operator: | Scandinavian Airlines System - SAS |
| Registration: | OY-KHP |
| MSN: | 53007/1882 |
| First flight: | 1991-07-06 (18 years 7 months) |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 127 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 133 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Grenoble-Saint Geoirs Airport (GNB) ( France)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | København-Kastrup Airport (CPH/EKCH), Denmark |
| Grenoble-Saint Geoirs Airport (GNB/LFLS), France |
The MD-81 took off from Copenhagen Airport, Denmark at 17:34 hours local time. At around 18:53 local time, the crew began the descent for an ILS approach to runway 09 at Grenoble Airport, France.
It was a dark night with the moon still below the horizon. The crew was established on the localizer at about 10 nm from the runway threshold and had the runway in sight.
At 19:23, at a height of approximately 1500 ft, the undercarriage was deployed at an indicated airspeed (IAS) 157 kt.
At a height of about 1000 ft, the crew disengaged the autopilot. The aircraft was stabilized at a slightly higher speed than Vapp, on the glide path and with a vertical speed of -700 ft/min. At a height of approximately 200 ft, the pilot flying disconnected the auto-throttle.
The approach remained stabilized on the 3° glide path at a speed equal to Vapp + 3 kt and a descent rate of 700 ft/min until a height of 100 ft. Passing 100 ft, the IAS started to decrease and went below Vapp. The rate of descent increased to 850 ft/min.
The pitch was 4° and the nose started to lift slightly. At a height of 30 ft, the plane passed slightly below the glide slope at an IAS of Vapp -4 kt.
At a height of 15 ft, the elevator was operated abruptly causing a rapid increase in pitch attitude. Two seconds later, the rear fuselage touched down, with a pitch of 10.7°.
The traces left on the runway indicate a contact point 166 meters before the touchdown zone. The vertical acceleration value reached a maximum of 1.95 g.
Two seconds later, the throttles were brought back and the thrust reversers were deployed. The aircraft then rolled to the apron.
Probable Cause:
CAUSE (translated from French):
The accident was caused by continuing the landing when the situational awareness of the crew had deteriorated. This led to an inaccurate estimate of the height from the end point of the trajectory and no flare.
The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The crew did not select the maximum illumination of the landing lights;
- Runway 09 at the Grenoble-Isère airport is not equipped with visual indicator approach slope;
- Management of the manual throttles to land was inadequate.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
TailstrikeRunway mishap
Photos
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 København-Kastrup Airport to Grenoble-Saint Geoirs Airport as the crow flies is 1242 km (776 miles).
Distance from København-Kastrup Airport to Grenoble-Saint Geoirs Airport as the crow flies is 1242 km (776 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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