Martinair Holland DC-10-30F accident at Faro Airport, Portugal (PH-MBN)

Incident Overview On 21 December 1992, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30F aircraft PH-MBN, operated by Martinair Holland N.V., was involved in an accident at Faro Airport, Portugal. The flight, designated MP 495, was a non-scheduled passenger transport from Amsterdam to Faro. The aircraft carried 327 passengers and 13 crew members. ## Accident Sequence The aircraft was on approach to runway 11 at Faro Airport when it encountered weather conditions associated with a convergence line and cumulonimbus clouds, producing heavy showers and thunderstorms. The report states the aircraft made a hard landing on the left side of the runway. The right landing gear fractured, followed by the right wing separating from the fuselage. The aircraft rotated about its longitudinal axis, slid off the right side of the runway, broke into two main sections, and caught fire. ## Investigation and Findings Portugal, as the state of occurrence, led the investigation under ICAO Annex 13, with accredited representatives from the Netherlands Accident Investigation Bureau (NAIB) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The investigation included examination of wreckage, recovery of the digital flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, and airborne integrated data system, and interviews with air traffic controllers, crew, and witnesses. The report notes that the analysis, conclusions, and recommendations were not intended to assign fault or liability, but to prevent future accidents.