Turkish Airlines 2019 Airbus Incident: AIB Advises Crew To Follow Turkish SOPs

Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N) has issued a Safety Recommendation stating that “Turkish Airlines Inc. should ensure flight crew adherence to provisions of the Standard Operating Procedures as contained in the Turkish Airlines Flight Crew Techniques Manual vis-à-vis landing techniques.”
This is part of the report on the Serious Incident involving an Airbus 330-343 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines Inc. with nationality and registration marks TC-LOL, which occurred at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, Nigeria on 31st December 2019.
Releasing eight aircraft accident reports to the public today at AIB headquarters in Abuja, AIB’s Commissioner/CEO. Engr. Akin Olateru said: “The reports we are releasing today covers the period between 2010 and 2019. While one is classified as accident, the remaining seven are serious incidents. It is, however, important to note that investigation of aircraft accidents or incidents entails the same procedure and processes, which are geared towards the same destination – Air safety.
The Bureau has released a total of 67 reports and 220 safety recommendations since its creation in 2007, out of which 48 reports and 139 safety recommendations were during the present administration.
Today, eight reports are being released with a total of nine safety recommendations, which are addressed to the Regulatory body, the affected airlines and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) among others. There are international dimensions to two of the reports we are releasing today.”
According to the report, “all relevant stakeholders were notified. On 30th December 2019 at about 20:46 h, an Airbus A330-343 aircraft with nationality and registration marks TC-LOL operated by Turkish Airlines Inc. departed Istanbul Airport (LTFM), Istanbul; Turkey for Port Harcourt International Airport (DNPO), Omagwa, Rivers State; Nigeria, as a scheduled flight THY3WJ operating on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. There were 295 persons on board including 11 crew members.
The Captain was the Pilot Flying (PF), while the Co-Pilot was the Pilot Monitoring (PM). At 03:10 h, THY3WJ established two-way contact with Port Harcourt Approach reported descending to FL220 on-course NAPVA1, and received weather information with relevant clearances.
The aircraft touched down with its main landing gear at about 612 m from the threshold, right of the runway centreline, crossed the right-side runway strip marking onto the right runway shoulder, impacted and damaged three runway edge lights, and returned to the runway at a distance of about 1,037 m from the threshold.
The tyre marks further indicated that the aircraft returned to the runway centreline at about 1,478 m from the threshold. The approach was performed at night and the crew reported haze and patches of fog at low level. The Port Harcourt International Airport runway was equipped with only edge lights with no centreline and runway touchdown zone lights.”
The investigation identified Causal factor as “the extra right aileron and rudder input by the Pilot Flying in the last 100 feet caused the aircraft to drift right of the runway centerline” while Contributory factors are “the inappropriate rudder application by the flight crew in the last 45 feet did not prevent the right drift before touchdown but rather increased the drift at touchdown” and “the non-adherence to the provisions of the Standard Operating Procedures as contained in the Turkish Airlines Flight Crew Techniques Manual. One Safety Recommendation was made.”
The other reports released today are Report on the Serious Incident involving a B737-500 aircraft operated by Air Peace Limited with nationality and registration marks 5N-BRN, which occurred at Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State On 22nd June, 2019; Report on the Serious Incident involving HS-125-700A aircraft operated by Associated Aviation Limited with nationality and registration marks 5N-BEX, which occurred at Benin Airport, Edo state, Nigeria on 10th July, 2011 and Report on the Serious Incident involving a B737-200 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BIF owned and operated by Chanchangi Airlines, which occurred at Kaduna Airport, Runway 05, Kaduna State, Nigeria on 20th of August, 2010.
Others are Report on the Serious Incident involving a Bombardier DHC-8-Q400 aircraft owned and operated by Arik Air Nigeria Ltd with nationality and registration marks 5N-BKX which occurred en route Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana on 6th March, 2018; Report on the Serious Incident involving a Boeing 737- 500 aircraft operated by Med-View Airline with nationality and registration marks 5N-BQM, which occurred at FL320 en route Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos On 23rd July, 2019; Report on the Accident involving a Hawker
Siddeley HS-125-800 XP aircraft owned and operated by
SWAT Technology Limited with nationality and registration marks N497AG, which occurred on Runway 21, Port-Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State On 11th June, 2015 and Report on the Serious Incident involving Boeing 737- 300 aircraft owned and operated by Air Peace Limited with nationality and registration marks 5N-BUK which occurred at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on 15th May, 2019.