What happened
On August 5, 2016, at 02:07 UTC, a Boeing 737-40 and registered HA-FAX, operating a cargo flight for DHL from Paris Charles de Gaulle, overran the runway at Orio al Serio Airport (LIME) in Bergamo, Italy.
During the approach for runway 28, the crew was informed by Air Traffic Control that the runway surface was wet due to recent rain and thunderstorm activity. The aircraft performed a precision ILS approach but failed to touch down at the intended point. Instead, the aircraft floated at an altitude between 30 and 14 feet for approximately 14 seconds at an average speed of 150 knots, eventually contacting the pavement beyond the two-thirds mark of the runway.
Unable to decelerate sufficiently, the aircraft exited the airport perimeter along the runway centerline, coming to a stop approximately 520 meters past the end of the runway. The high-speed excursion caused the landing gear legs and both engines to be torn from the airframe. The two crew members sustained serious injuries, including closed spinal fractures, and were evacuated via the emergency slide.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and meteorological conditions. Investigators analyzed the crew's training status, noting that the First Officer was undergoing line training. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history and the operational fatigue levels of the crew, who had completed several night flights in the preceding days.
Technical analysis of the flight path revealed that the autothrottle remained engaged for two seconds after touchdown, and the crew did not recall manually disengaging it. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the crew's decision-making process regarding the approach and the effectiveness of the emergency evacuation procedures.