What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2012-02-15 involved an Embraer E170-200, at EPWA, PL.

Hard Landing of Embraer E170-200 at Warsaw Chopin Airport on 15 February 2012

On February 15, 2012, an Embraer E170-200 was involved in an aviation accident near EPWA, PL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the hard landing was a delayed flare and improper control after the aircraft bounced off the runway. This summary draws on records from the Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL).

On 15 February 2012, an Embraer E170-200 on a scheduled flight from Brussels to Warsaw experienced a hard landing after a late flare and a bounce. No injuries occurred. Delays in maintenance inspections were due to missing logbook entries and slow data transfer.

Flight and Weather Conditions

On 15 February 2012, an Embraer E170-200 aircraft was conducting a scheduled flight from Brussels (BRU) to Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA). The crew performed an approach to runway 11 with flaps set to 6. Weather conditions included a cloud base of 800 feet, visibility of 1000 meters, and wind from 150 degrees at 13 knots.

Hard Landing Sequence

According to flight data recorder analysis, all parameters were normal until the flare. The flare was executed too late, resulting in a hard initial touchdown at 1.89g. The aircraft then bounced off the runway for approximately one second before touching down again with a vertical acceleration of 2.29g. The landing occurred at 08:40 UTC.

Post-Landing Actions

After parking, the captain verbally informed a mechanic about the suspected hard landing and requested that the aircraft not be dispatched until the DVDR data were reviewed. However, the captain did not make an entry in the Technical Logbook (LDP 60) or file an ASR report. The Flight Data Analysis department read the DVDR shortly after arrival, but the DLU files appeared on the server at 10:19, and an email notification of the exceedance was sent to technical services at 17:49, an 8-hour 30-minute delay.

Continued Operation Without Inspection

At 10:25 UTC on the same day, the aircraft departed for Sofia without having undergone the required special inspection for a hard landing as per AMM 05-50-03. It later operated a flight to Helsinki at 07:53 UTC. In total, the aircraft performed four landings before the first phase of the special inspection was initiated.

Inspection and Clearance

The first phase of the special inspection according to AMM 05-50-03 FIG601 began at 23:15 on 15 February and concluded at 03:24 on 16 February. The aircraft was then cleared for ten landings. The second phase of the special inspection was performed on 20 February 2012, after which the aircraft was returned to normal service.

Findings and Cause

The investigation identified that the hard landing was caused by a late flare and improper control during the bounce. The delayed special inspections were attributed to the lack of logbook entries and the slow response of the technical services responsible for reading flight data.

Probable cause

The cause of the hard landing was a delayed flare and improper control after the aircraft bounced off the runway. The cause of the delayed special inspections was the lack of entries in the Technical Logbook and the slow operation of technical services responsible for reading flight parameters.

2012-02-15: Embraer E170-200 — EPWA, PL