What happened
On March 17, 2001, at 09:35 UTC, an Air Algérie Boeing 737-800, registration 7T-VJL, was performing a scheduled international passenger flight from Algiers to Lyon Saint-Exupéry. The aircraft was on a localizer approach to runway 18L, noting that the glide slope and DME components of the ILS were unavailable.
During the landing roll, the crew was unable to stop the aircraft before the end of the runway. The aircraft veered to the right and eventually came to a halt in the grass, approximately 50 meters southwest of the runway, where it became slightly bogged down. There were no injuries to the 126 passengers or the 7 crew members on board, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage.
The investigation
The BEA examined the flight data recorder (SSFDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to reconstruct the landing sequence. The investigation established that the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at approximately 150 feet with a ground speed of 157 knots. The main gear touchdown occurred at 142 knots.
Investigators analyzed the runway conditions, noting that the region had experienced heavy rainfall since the previous day. The runway surface was classified as "wet," meaning it was damp but without standing water. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's braking performance, noting that the crew applied manual, symmetrical braking immediately upon touchdown, and utilized both spoilers and thrust reversers. A kinematic analysis confirmed that the aircraft traveled approximately 1,126 meters from touchdown to the point of stopping.
Findings
- The aircraft landed on a wet runway following a period of significant rainfall.
- The crew performed a manual landing with the autopilot disconnected prior to the final approach.
- The aircraft'ed trajectory deviated to the right during the high-speed portion of the landing roll.
- Visual inspection of the tires showed no specific evidence of hydroplaning.
- The aircraft's braking and deceleration were within the parameters expected for the given conditions, but the stopping distance exceeded the available runway length.