What happened
On August 14, 2025, at approximately 1724 CDT, an Airbus A319, registration C-GSJB, landed short of runway 20L at Nashville International Airport (BNA). The flight, operated by Air Canada Rouge LP, was a scheduled international service from Toronto, Ontario (CYYZ).
Initially, air traffic control (ATC) cleared the crew for a visual approach to runway 20L. However, due to rain at the airport, the clearance was amended to an RNAV (GPS) Y 20L approach. The flight crew, consisting of a Line Indoctrination Training Captain and a captain candidate, followed the approach via the WAYLN initial approach fix and radar vectors.
While the aircraft met stabilized approach criteria at 1,000 and 500 feet, the pilot monitoring (PM) missed the stable call at 500 feet. The autopilot was disconnected at the decision altitude. As the aircraft descended to approximately 200 feet above ground level (AGL), the crew encountered heavy rain, prompting the pilot flying (PF) to request windshield wipers.
During the final stages of the approach, the PF reported losing sight of the runway, though the PM believed the runway environment remained visible despite rain distortion. At a radio altitude of 20 to 30 feet, the crew retarded the thrust levers to idle. The PF then observed the runway threshold lights directly ahead of the aircraft's nose. The aircraft touched down on the blast pad, a paved area preceding the runway threshold.
There were no injuries among the ninety-three occupants. Airport video surveillance confirmed the aircraft touched down short of the runway and subsequently impacted a runway threshold light.
The investigation
Post-incident inspections by airport personnel determined that the left main landing gear contacted an airport service road approximately 420 feet short of the runway threshold. The right main landing gear touched down approximately 52 feet short of the paved surface, which was roughly 430 feet short of the runway threshold.
Maintenance inspections following the event revealed mud on the airplane's empennage and minor damage to one tire. The investigation included participation from the FAA, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA).