What happened
On a scheduled flight from Edmonton, Alberta, to Yellowpend, Northwest Territories, a Boeing 737-210C operated by First Air experienced a landing incident on Runway 33. The flight, which included 98 passengers and 6 crew members, was performing a visual approach during daylight hours. As the aircraft entered the landing flare, it experienced an excessive sink rate. In an attempt to stabilize the descent, the first officer applied engine power and increased the pitch of the nose.
Upon contact with the runway, the aircraft bounced twice. During the period the aircraft was airborne following the initial contact, the captain assumed control and lowered the nose to mitigate further bouncing. The aircraft subsequently struck the runway on its nose landing gear before the main gear made contact. The initial touchdown occurred approximately 1,300 feet from the runway threshold, though heavy rubber marks on the pavement made precise measurement difficult. During the third impact on the nose gear, the left nose tire burst, causing a shimmy effect on the runway surface. The aircraft was able to taxi to the ramp for shutdown.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
- There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported among the passengers and crew.
- The sequence of events was characterized by an excessive sink rate during the landing flare which led to a series of bounces and subsequent nose gear impact.