On August 2, 1996, a Boeing 737-200 (registration 7T-VED) operated by Air Algérie was involved in an aviation accident near Tlemcen, Algeria during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An imbalance in engine N1 readings led to an aborted takeoff and subsequent runway excursion. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
An aircraft experienced an engine performance discrepancy during takeoff, leading to an aborted takeoff and runway excursion.
What happened
While performing the takeoff roll, the captain observed a discrepancy between the N1 readings of the engines. In response to this technical irregularity, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff procedure and applied emergency braking to stop the aircraft.
Despite the application of maximum braking, the aircraft was unable to halt before the end of the runway. The aircraft subsequently overran the paved surface, resulting in the separation of the nose landing gear. The aircraft eventually came to a stop approximately 40 metres beyond the runway end. There were no injuries reported among the 106 occupants on board. The aircraft sustained damage that was determined to be beyond economical repair.
Findings
The pilot identified a difference in engine N1 readings during the initial phase of the takeoff roll.
The decision to initiate an emergency stop was driven by the observed engine performance imbalance.
Probable cause
An imbalance in engine N1 readings led to an aborted takeoff and subsequent runway excursion.
