| Date: | Tuesday 28 February 2006 |
| Time: | 21:14 UTC |
| Type: | Airbus A340-312 |
| Owner/operator: | TAP Air Portugal |
| Registration: | CS-TOD |
| MSN: | 091 |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-5C3 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 194 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | São Paulo Guarulhos Airport (SBGR,GRU) -
Brazil
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Rio de Janeiro/Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, RJ (GIG/SBGL) |
| Destination airport: | São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, SP (GRU/SBGR) |
| Investigating agency: | CENIPA |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:On February 28, 2006, TAP flight 197, from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon, with a stopover in Guarulhos, in São Paulo, but the lights on runway 27R were inoperative, because of this, the pilots confused the runway with taxiway Bravo, and landed on the taxiway, luckily, no one was hurt and the aircraft came out without damage.
Contributing Factors
1 Human Factor
1.1 Physiological Aspect
Did not contribute.
1.2 Psychological Aspect
Did not contribute.
1.3 Operational Aspect
1.3.1 Adverse Weather Conditions – Contributed
The presence of lightning from Cumulonimbus (CB) clouds in the aerodrome area affected the ADF readings.
1.3.2 Airport Infrastructure – Contributed
The crew referred to the right-side PAPI and the ALS. Both the BCO VOR and the IGS ILS were inoperative. At the time of the incident, the aircraft could not rely on these aids, especially the ILS, which would indicate runway alignment.
1.3.3 Crew Phraseology – Contributed
Communications with the control bodies were conducted in Portuguese, despite the differences between the Portuguese language spoken in Brazil and in Portugal.
1.3.4 ATS Body Phraseology – Contributed
Communications were in Portuguese, however, at the time of landing, the tower called the aircraft in Portuguese and then instructed it in English to go around.
1.3.5 Piloting Judgment – Contributed
The crew believed they were landing on runway 27R, based on the evaluation of various flight aspects, such as instrument readings and the visual references available at the time.
1.3.6 Environmental Influence – Contributed
The intense brightness caused by the sun's frontal position and the wet surface near the runway created a "mirroring" phenomenon. This fact hindered the visualization of the runway and its aids.
2 Material Factor
Did not contribute.
Accident investigation:
|
|
| | |
| Investigating agency: | CENIPA |
| Report number: | |
| Status: | Investigation completed |
| Duration: | |
| Download report: | Final report
|
|
Sources:
https://aeroin.net/airbus-a340-tap-pouso-pista-taxi-sao-paulo-guarulhos/ Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
| 23-Dec-2024 13:46 |
guifonte20 |
Added |
| 23-Dec-2024 13:51 |
ASN |
Updated |
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:

CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation