What happened
On 17 July 2007, an Airbus A320, registration PR-MBK, was operating flight JJ3054 from Porto Alegre to Congonhas Airport in São Paulo. The aircraft was carrying 181 passengers and six crew members. At the time of the flight, the number 2 engine reverser was deactivated in accordance with the Minimum Equipment List.
During the landing phase at 18:54 local time, the runway surface was wet and slippery. Upon touchdown, the crew observed that the ground spoilers failed to deploy. The aircraft failed to decelerate as expected and began to veer toward the left side of the runway. The aircraft eventually overran the edge of the runway, crossed Washington Luís Avenue, and struck a building used by TAM Express, as well as a fuel service station.
The impact and subsequent intense fire caused the total destruction of the Airbus A320. The collision resulted in 187 fatalities among those on board the aircraft and 12 fatalities on the ground. The structural damage to the TAM Express facility was so severe that the building required demolition.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several contributing factors involving human performance, training, and aircraft design:
- Crew Performance: The crew experienced a loss of situational awareness during the landing. There was evidence suggesting the pilot may have attempted to use an outdated landing procedure for aircraft with inoperative reversers, which could have led to an incorrect thrust lever setting.
- Training and Management: The investigation noted deficiencies in training quality, specifically regarding computer-based courses and insufficient certification for the co-pilot. Additionally, the airline's practice of scheduling two captains on a single flight may have contributed to cockpit complacency.
- Aircraft Design: A significant contributing factor was the lack of an alerting system to warn pilots when thrust levers are in conflicting positions (one in reverse and one in climb). The power control system prioritized the 'CL' setting, which prevented effective braking.
- Environmental Factors: Adverse weather conditions, including a wet and slippery runway, increased the difficulty of the landing. The pilot also reported experiencing a headache during the approach.