What happened
On 30 March 2003, a BAe 146-200, registration G-MANS, was performing a scheduled public transport flight into Brussels Airport, Belgium. The aircraft was on an ILS approach to Runway 25L, fully configured with landing gear down and 33 degrees of flap selected. During the final stages of the approach, the handling pilot disengaged the autopilot at 215 feet and subsequently deployed the airbrakes.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the rate of descent increased. In an attempt to counter this perceived high sink rate, the first officer selected a higher pitch attitude just before touchdown. This maneuver resulted in the rear of the fuselage striking the runway surface. The crew reported hearing the stall warning sound shortly before touchdown, which continued for several seconds after the aircraft made contact with the ground. While the main wheels and nose gear touched down in sequence, the impact caused damage to the aircraft's tail bumper. There were no injuries to the 43 passengers or the 5 crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight recorder data and the aircraft's mechanical state. However, the investigation was hampered by the fact that the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) had been overwritten by more recent data. Additionally, a failure in the flight data recorder's (FDR) reference supply meant that 15 critical parameters, including airspeed, altitude, and engine performance, were not recorded.
Despite these limitations, the available FDR data showed that the airbrake was deployed at 125 feet agl, which coincided with an increase in the rate of descent. By 70 feet agl, the sink rate had reached approximately 900 fpm. The data also confirmed that at the moment of touchdown, the aircraft's pitch attitude was 10.6 degrees nose up.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a low energy state during the final approach, evidenced by the activation of the aural stall warning.
- The deployment of the airbrakes at low altitude contributed to an increased rate of descent.
- To compensate for the high sink rate, the pilot increased the pitch attitude, which directly led to the tailstrike.
- The aircraft's pitch attitude at touchdown exceeded the threshold for tail bumper contact when the landing gear is extended.
Safety action
Following the incident, the operator provided additional guidance to flight crews, emphasizing the importance of monitoring airspeed and power settings during final approach. Pilots were instructed to consider performing a go-around if a high sink rate is detected during the flare, rather than attempting to compensate with increased pitch.