What happened
On July 23, 2024, an Embraer E195LR, registration SP-LNB, departed from Zurich Airport (ZRH). During the initial climb phase, while the aircraft was configured in FLAP 1 and prior to the commencement of acceleration, a "SLAT FAIL" message appeared on the flight deck.
Upon detecting the malfunction, the crew initiated the required SLAT/FLAP FAILURE checklists as prescribed in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH). Despite performing all necessary troubleshooting steps, the malfunction persisted. The crew then evaluated the operational limitations imposed by the QRH, including flight level restrictions and fuel consumption implications for flying with the flaps and slats in the 1+3 position. After determining that the remaining fuel was sufficient to reach the destination, the crew elected to continue the flight to Warsaw (EPWA).
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational decisions made by the crew and the technical nature of the system malfunction. The inquiry established that the flight was conducted under specific performance constraints: the aircraft was limited to a maximum altitude of FL200, and the approach required a speed of Vref FULL + 20.
Calculations performed during the flight indicated that the required landing distance for the degraded configuration was 1390 meters. The crew maintained a speed below 230 knots throughout the remainder of the flight. Furthermore, the investigation verified that the fuel onboard was sufficient to reach the destination while maintaining the minimum required diversion reserve of 1800 kg, as the aircraft landed with 2100 kg of fuel remaining.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a malfunction within the Flap/Slat Control System.
- The crew's actions were in full compliance with established operating procedures and QRH checklists.
- The flight was completed without any compromise to flight safety.