Synopsis
On 12 May 2019 at 09:06 local time, Myanmar National Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft, registered XY-AGQ, operating flight UB-103 from Yangon to Mandalay, performed an emergency landing on runway 17 of Mandalay International Airport after the nose landing gear failed to extend. The aircraft carried seven crew members (Pilot-in-Command, First Officer, Safety Pilot, and four cabin crew) and 82 passengers. No injuries were reported, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of Myanmar classified the event as a serious incident.
History of the Flight
The flight departed Yangon at 07:15 with a trainee pilot (First Officer) as the pilot flying, supervised by a Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and a safety pilot. While making an RNP approach to runway 17, approximately 7 nautical miles from the runway, the landing gear lever was commanded down. Twenty seconds later, a "LG LEVER DISAG" warning appeared on the Crew Alerting System (CAS) accompanied by triple aural chimes. The PIC immediately took control, and the safety pilot moved from the jump seat to the copilot seat. At 08:26, the flight crew informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the nose landing gear failure and requested to maintain 2,000 ft with a heading of 270 degrees. The crew attempted the abnormal landing gear extension procedure from the Quick Reference Handbook twice, but the nose landing gear door remained ajar and the gear could not be lowered. At 08:38, the crew declared a Mayday and initiated a partial or gear-up landing procedure. The aircraft flew 35 nm from the airport on a heading of 320 degrees to dump fuel. Simultaneously, the PIC informed passengers of the emergency and instructed them to follow cabin crew directions. At 08:52, the aircraft conducted an RNP approach to runway 17 and requested fire services to stand by. At 09:06, the aircraft landed with the nose landing gear retracted, coming to a stop 4,800 feet from the runway threshold near exit taxiway A4. Smoke entered the cockpit and cabin. All passengers and crew evacuated via emergency slides with assistance from airport firefighters. No fire occurred.
Injuries and Damage
All 89 persons on board (7 crew and 82 passengers) were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including damage to the fuselage lower skin at the nose landing gear section between frames FR3 and FR8 and stringers STGR 26LH and 26RH, the lower skin and lip skin of the left air inlet cowling, the nose landing gear door, the forward avionic compartment access hatch, and control wires and circuit breakers in the cockpit console.
Survival Aspects
The cabin crew deployed emergency slides and over-wing exits immediately after the aircraft stopped. Airport firefighters, already on standby, helped evacuate passengers and extinguished heat and smoke in the cockpit using foam. The source attributed survivability to the flight crew's decision-making and crew resource management, the aircraft's emergency equipment, cabin crew performance, passenger cooperation, and firefighter readiness.
Mandalay International Airport operations were suspended for about two and a half hours, after which the airport reopened with restrictions. Some flights were diverted, canceled, or delayed.
Personnel Information
The PIC held an Air Transport Pilot Licence, was 45 years old, and had 11,018.56 total flight hours, including 3,700 on type. The trainee pilot held a Commercial Pilot Licence, was 26 years old, and had 445.20 total hours, with 3 hours on type. The safety pilot, aged 25, held a Commercial Pilot Licence with 1,386.21 total hours, including 1,300 on type.
Aircraft Information
The Embraer 190 (serial number 19000231, registration XY-AGQ) was manufactured on 1 December 2008. Total airframe hours at the time of the incident were 19,476.13 hours. The last check was performed on 5 May 2019.
Meteorological Conditions
At 09:00 local time, Mandalay International Airport reported variable wind at 10 knots from 180 degrees with gusts to 25 knots, visibility 6,000 meters, few clouds at 2,500 ft, temperature 35°C, dew point 24°C, and atmospheric pressure 1,007 hPa.
Recorders
The Digital Voice Data Recorder (DVDR) was removed and read out in the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau of Singapore. The recording quality was good; the flight data recorder contained 27 hours, 13 minutes, and 47 seconds of data encompassing 23 flights prior to the incident.
Other Information
Radio communications between the aircraft and Mandalay Tower were normal and not a factor. The aerodrome is certified for VFR and IFR, with a runway length of 14,000 ft and CAT 9 firefighting capability. Pilots underwent medical and toxicological tests after the incident, which revealed no abnormalities. There was no fire before or after the incident, but a large amount of smoke originated from the cockpit.
Probable Cause
The investigation report did not state a probable cause for the serious incident.