What happened
On 29 March 2015, an Airbus A320-200, registered as C-FTJP, was operating as Air Canada Flight AC624 from Toronto, Ontario, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The flight was carrying 133 passengers and 5 crew members. While performing a localizer approach to land on Runway 05 at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties.
During the approach, the aircraft's engines experienced a loss of power transmission lines. This was followed by the main landing gear and the rear fuselage striking the snow-covered ground approximately 225 metres before the runway threshold. The aircraft proceeded to strike a localizer antenna before impacting the ground in a nose-down position roughly 70 metres before the threshold. After the impact, the aircraft bounced and slid along the runway, eventually coming to a stop on the left side of the runway about 570 metres past the threshold.
Following the incident, the passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft. 25 people sustained injuries and required transport to local hospitals. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, no post-crash fire occurred.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events leading to the terrain impact and the subsequent runway excursion. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's approach procedures, the environmental conditions, and the mechanical failures involving the engine power transmission lines.