What happened
On 1 November 2007, flight MDL 260, a Boeing 737-200 registered PK-RIL, was performing a scheduled service from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Abdurrahman Saleh Airport in Malang, East Java. The flight was operated by PT. Mandala Airlines and carried 89 passengers and 5 crew members, totaling 94 persons on board.
During the approach to runway 35, the flight crew noted that the aircraft was positioned above the glide path indicated by the precision approach path indicator (PAPI). In an attempt to intercept the correct approach path, the pilot in command increased the rate of descent. This high rate of descent was not corrected prior to touchdown, leading to a significant hard landing on the runway. At the time of the landing, heavy rain was falling at the airport.
Following the initial impact, the aircraft bounced twice. The force of the landing caused the lower drag strut of the nose landing gear to fracture. This structural failure led to the collapse of the nose gear toward the rear and the separation of the wheel assembly and lower shock strut. The nose of the aircraft subsequently made contact with the runway surface. The aircraft eventually stopped 290 metres before the end of runway 17. There were no injuries reported among the passengers or crew.
Findings
Investigation into the incident identified that the primary factor was an unarrested high rate of descent initiated by the crew to correct an approach path error. The subsequent impact with the runway was severe enough to cause the structural failure of the nose landing gear components.