What happened
On 2 January 2017, an Airbus A320-216, registration HS-ABB, operated by Thai AirAsia, was performing a flight from Don Mue and Muang International Airport to Khon Kaen Airport. The flight, FD3256, carried 141 passengers and 6 crew members.
During the approach to runway 03, the pilot elected to practice manual flying by disengaging the autopilot at 10,000 feet and later disengaging the auto-thrust at 1,600 feet. As the aircraft approached the runway, the headwind decreased from 12 knots to approximately 0 knots. At 30 feet above the ground, the pilot initiated a flare and simultaneously reduced engine power. This action resulted in a high sink rate and an increased angle of attack.
The aircraft touched down heavily on the displaced threshold with a high pitch angle. Approximately two seconds after touchdown, the continued nose-up input caused a tail strike, resulting in significant damage to the lower rear fuselage, including the skin, pressure dome, and APU components. There were no fatalities or serious injuries among the 147 people on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined flight data from the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and cockpit voice recordings. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's flight path, noting that the approach became unstabilized as the airspeed decayed below the required limits. The investigation also reviewed the crew's performance, the meteorological conditions, and the aircraft's structural damage.
Findings
- The pilot was performing a non-precision manual approach without the use of autopilot or auto-thrust.
- A rapid decrease in headwind speed contributed to an increased sink rate.
- The pilot initiated the flare and reduced power at 30 feet, leading to a high angle of attack and a heavy touchdown.
- Crew Resource Management (CRM) was incomplete, as the co-pilot failed to call for a go-around despite the unstabilized approach.
- The pilot's manual flying techniques and overconfidence contributed to a lack of situational awareness regarding safety precautions.