Incident
On an approach to Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Runway 25 was closed due to construction, so air traffic control vectored the aircraft and cleared it for landing on Runway 16L. The approach was conducted under good visibility with strong crosswinds from 250° at 28 knots, gusting to 41 knots, and windshear was present. During the final segment, the aircraft lost altitude and struck the ground 567 meters short of the Runway 16L threshold. After impact, the aircraft bounced three times, resulting in the loss of the right main landing gear. It then slid for several dozen meters before coming to rest in a grassy area approximately 1,780 meters past the runway threshold.
All 50 occupants were rescued, and seven of them sustained slight injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be the human factor. Specifically, it was attributed to improper conduct of the aircraft by the pilot flying (the commander) during landing, which was not consistent with the provisions of the operator's manuals. This occurred in an environmental context characterized by significant criticality, including crosswind values at or exceeding the limits allowed for the ATR 72, and in the absence of effective crew resource management (CRM).
Contributing Factors
The following factors may have contributed to the event:
- The failure to conduct a landing briefing, which, besides being required by company regulations, would have been an important moment for pooling and accepting information fundamental to operational safety.
- The maintenance of a final approach speed (V APP) significantly higher than expected.
- The commander's conviction, stemming from his considerable general and specific experience on the aircraft, that he could conduct a safe landing despite the critical wind conditions for the aircraft type.
- The considerable difference in experience between the commander and the first officer, which reasonably prevented the latter from exercising critical judgment, thus rendering CRM techniques ineffective.