What happened
On December 24, 2000, a Hawaiian Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC10-10, registration N132AA, was operating international flight HAL 481 from Honolulu to Tahiti. The aircraft was carrying 139 passengers and 15 crew members. During the approach to runway 04 at Tahiti Faaa airport, the crew encountered heavy thunderstorms and significant wind changes.
As the aircraft descended, the crew noted several convective cells near the airfield. While the initial weather reports indicated moderate winds, the crew observed a sudden shift to a wind of 280 degrees at 28 knots. During the final approach, the aircraft's flight path drifted to the right of the approach centerline. Upon touchdown, the aircraft landed to the right of the runway axis. Despite the deployment of thrust reversers and manual deployment of spoilers, the aircraft could not be maintained on the runway. The aircraft struck the localizer antennas and continued its course until it came to a stop off the runway, with the nose of the aircraft resting in the lagoon.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the BEA in coordination with the NTSB, examined the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to reconstruct the sequence of events. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's performance, including landing distances and the impact of the wet runway surface. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions, specifically the wind shear and gusty conditions present during the landing phase. Physical examinations of the tires and the aircraft's structural damage, including the destruction of the localizer equipment, were performed to understand the forces involved during the excursion.