Runway excursion Serious incident Boeing 737-6H3 TS-IOL, Saturday 24 November 2012

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Date:	Saturday 24 November 2012
Time:	09:46
Type:	Boeing 737-6H3
Owner/operator:	Tunis Air
Registration:	TS-IOL
MSN:	29497/282
Year of manufacture:	1999
Engine model:	CFMI CFM56-7B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 130
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG) - Switzerland
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Tunis-Carthage Airport (TUN/DTTA)
Destination airport:	Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG)
Investigating agency:	STSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Flight TAR700 from Tunis to Geneva made an ILS approach to runway 23. The sky was obscured by fog, with a vertical visibility of 200 ft. Low visibility procedures were in effect at the airport.
The approach was conducted with auto-throttle and both autopilots engaged. At the decision altitude both were disengaged and the aircraft pitched up slightly. The pilots performed a landing at 1290 m from the runway threshold, with a hard touchdown to the left of the runway centerline. The left main gear went off the runway over a distance of 120 m, damaging runway edge lights.
The serious incident went unnoticed for three hours during which debris lamps and bulbs remained on the runway.

Cause
The serious problem is due to a momentary runway excursion at the beginning of the landing roll, following a loss of control caused by spatial disorientation.
Inappropriate use of automatic flight control systems contributed to the occurrence of the serious incident.

Accident investigation: