What happened
On a scheduled flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, a China Airlines Airbus A300 (implied by context of flight type, though specific model not provided in source, the source refers to the flight as CAL605) was conducting an IGS approach to runway 13 at Kai Tak Airport. The flight encountered severe weather, including heavy rain, strong gusts, and windshear. During the approach, the pilot transitioned to manual flight control after disconnecting the autopilots and autothrottle due to dissatisfaction with speed stability. The crew also encountered a temporary display anomaly regarding reference airspeed.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the crew received windshear warnings and noted significant deviations from the target flight path. The aircraft touched down gently within the touchdown zone, but the crew failed to verify that the speed brake lever had moved to the 'UP' position. Following touchdown, the aircraft experienced an uncontrolled roll to the left as the co-pilot attempted to counteract crosswinds. During this period, the autobrake system disarmed, and the crew realized reverse thrust had not been initially selected.
As the aircraft accelerated past taxiway A11, the crew realized they had insufficient distance to stop. The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft left to avoid the end of the runway, but the Airbus ran off the paved surface. The nose and right wing struck the sea wall, causing the aircraft to enter the sea. While the emergency response was rapid, the incident resulted in 10 injuries, including one person in serious condition.
Findings
- The crew encountered significant windshear and turbulence during the final approach.
- The pilot did not discuss specific settings for autobrakes or reverse thrust during the pre-approach briefing.
- The aircraft experienced an uncommanded roll to the left following touchdown due to manual control inputs intended to oppose crosswinds.
- The crew failed to confirm the position of the speed brake lever after landing.