Incident Overview
During the takeoff roll on runway 23L, at a speed of 145 knots, the crew heard a thumping noise and felt vibrations. Simultaneously, the right engine power dropped and a warning light associated with the right main gear illuminated. The copilot informed the captain that the right main gear was unsafe. At 149 knots, the captain decided to abandon the takeoff and initiated emergency braking. The spoilers were deployed and thrust reversers were activated.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining 1,219 meters of runway. It overran at a speed of 70 knots, rolled for 139 meters, then went down a 15-meter-high embankment. The aircraft came to rest broken in three sections. Two passengers were killed, 55 others were injured, and 50 were unhurt.
Official Findings
The probable cause was determined to be the bursting of tire number 3 on the right main gear during takeoff, likely due to wear. Rubber debris damaged various elements of the main gear, while other rubber debris was thrown into the right engine, causing it to lose power and the thrust reverser system to malfunction. The captain's decision to abort the takeoff was considered correct but was made too late—more than four seconds after the warning light illuminated. A lack of crew training in emergency situations and a lack of increased monitoring of tire wear were cited as contributing factors. A period of 65.7 seconds elapsed between brake release and the aircraft's immobilization.