What happened
On 20 February 2007, a BAe 146 200, registration EI-CZO, was performing a commercial passenger flight from Paris Orly Airport to London City Airport. During the landing on Runway 10, the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently and came to rest in the paved undershoot area, approximately 161 metres short of the dock edge.
At the time of the incident, the aircraft was landing at a speed of approximately 119 kt, which was higher than the recommended Vref for its landing weight. The weather conditions were clear with a damp runway surface. During the landing roll, the pilot applied full braking, but due to a lack of perceived deceleration, the crew transitioned the braking hydraulic system from Green to Yellow and finally to the Emergency Yellow system. This final system lacks anti-skid protection. The aircraft skidded for 473 metres, causing all four main landing gear tyres to burst and damaging the wheels. There were no fatalities and no injuries among the 55 passengers or 5 crew members.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the flight data recorder and the mechanical condition of the aircraft. Analysis of the flight data revealed that the lift spoilers had failed to deploy following touchdown. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's pitch attitude was more nose-down than usual, suggesting the main gear was only lightly weighted on the ground, likely due to aerodynamic lift being maintained by the wings.
Engineers examined the airbrake/lift spoiler lever and found that the force required to move the lever was within the manufacturer's maintenance limits. However, it was noted that the aircraft had not been updated with a non-mandatory service bulletin issued in 1988, which intended to change the force characteristics of this lever to help prevent similar issues.