Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-824, registration N73275, serial number 31593, operated by United Airlines as flight UAL 1055. The flight originated from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH) in Houston, Texas, with a destination of Juan Santamaría International Airport (MROC) in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The cockpit crew consisted of a captain aged 56 and a first officer aged 49, both holding Airline Transport Pilot licenses. The flight was conducted while the first officer was receiving Initial Operating Experience (IOE) training.
Incident Description
On 30 December 2020, at 18:33 local time (00:33 UTC on 31 December 2020), the aircraft landed on runway 07 at Juan Santamaría International Airport under heavy rain. During the landing, the left main landing gear and the nose gear departed the paved surface of the runway. The flight crew regained directional control, and the aircraft returned to the runway, coming to a safe stop. The event was classified as a serious incident, involving both a runway excursion and a hard landing.
Injuries and Damage
All 6 crew members (2 flight crew and 4 cabin crew) and 119 passengers were uninjured. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident. The aircraft sustained minor damage, concentrated on non-structural components of the landing gear, and on the fan blades and cowl of engine number 1 (left). Additionally, a navigation light on the lower fuselage and a small dent on the leading edge of the left rear stabilizer were noted. Five runway edge lights were completely damaged.
Investigation Status
A provisional declaration was issued on 18 April 2022 by the Accident Investigation Authority (AIA) of the Costa Rican Civil Aviation Technical Council. The investigation is ongoing, with approximately 85% completion. The flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for download. Brake and tire tests were conducted in the United States. The investigation focuses on human performance and its interaction with environmental factors, including meteorological conditions and runway surface conditions. The final report is pending analysis of recorder data, human factors, weather, and runway conditions, and will be subject to review by the NTSB before publication.