Synopsis
On 8 April 2017 at 2217 local time, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) flight MH2718, a Boeing B737-800 registered as 9M-MXX, was conducting a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sibu, Sarawak, with 63 passengers and 6 crew. During landing on Runway 13 at Sibu Airport in heavy rain, the aircraft experienced a runway excursion. It veered to the right of the runway and traveled approximately 480 meters on soft ground parallel to the runway before coming to a stop diagonally toward the runway edge. The nose gear collapsed just before the aircraft stopped. All occupants were safely evacuated using the forward slides; no injuries were reported.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear assembly and the lower fuselage aft of the nose gear. Minor damage occurred to areas around the flaps, engine cowling, and fan bypass areas as a result of the runway excursion.
Investigation Findings
The investigation by the Biro Siasatan Kemalangan Udara (BSKU) identified several factors. There was a sudden increase in rain intensity from moderate to heavy below 100 feet above ground level, reducing the flight crew's visibility of visual references and runway lighting. Runway 13/31 at Sibu Airport had no centerline lights. During final approach, the Pilot Monitoring (PM) informed the Pilot Flying (PF) of a crosswind component from the right; however, wind velocity had reduced to less than 2 knots from an initial 6 knots as the aircraft approached the runway. The PF nonetheless applied crosswind technique by oscillating the control wheel to the right, consistent with the perceived right crosswind.