Event Overview
On 4 July 2012, an Airbus A319-111 (registration G-EZDN) operated a commercial passenger flight from Prague Airport, Czech Republic. The crew consisted of six, with 149 passengers on board; no injuries or damage were reported.
Flight Preparation
The flight was the fourth sector of a duty that began at Stansted Airport at 0600 hrs. During pre‑flight briefing, the crew noted a NOTAM indicating that Runway 24 at Prague had its available length temporarily reduced from 3,715 m to 2,500 m due to works. Despite this, the pilots did not incorporate the reduction into their takeoff performance calculations. The ATIS broadcast mentioned the reduced length but was described as heavily accented English, and the crew did not extract the information. The airport details noted on the paper flight plan did not reference the reduced length.
The crew’s route manual contained separate charts for the normal full-length runway and the temporary reduced configuration. Unaware of the active reduction, the pilots referred only to the normal charts. The commander later commented that the presence of both charts may have contributed to the oversight. Additionally, a distraction occurred when an acquaintance visited the flight deck during pre‑flight activities, which the commander thought might have been a factor.
Takeoff Events
The aircraft lined up on Runway 24 for departure. The works were located at the far end of the runway and were not easily visible from the start of the roll. As the takeoff progressed, the pilots realised the aircraft was rapidly approaching the works area. Rotation and liftoff occurred at the planned speeds but much closer to the works than intended. No ATC warning or ground signage indicated the reduced runway length.
Post-Takeoff Actions
Distracted by the near‑miss with the works and a frequency change immediately after takeoff, the crew failed to select the landing gear up or verify its retraction before reaching the landing gear limit speed. Flap retraction proceeded normally, and the aircraft continued to Stansted without further event.
Contributing Factors
The commander attributed the crew’s failure to account for the reduced runway to decreased awareness at the end of a long duty period.