What happened
On the night of 16 August 2008, an AMC Airlines Boeing 737-800, registered SU-BPZ, was preparing for an international charter flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Luxor. Due to ongoing construction work at the end of runway 27L, the available takeoff distance had been significantly reduced.
The flight crew lined up for takeoff from intersection Y11. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft struck several provisional runway end lights. As the aircraft reached rotation speed, it continued to strike plastic markers used to delineate the safety barrier for the construction zone, throwing four markers toward taxiway K2. The aircraft cleared a provisional blast fence at a low altitude and continued its flight to its destination without further incident.
Following the event, the crew performed a systems review and, finding no immediate issues, decided to proceed with the flight. The impact of the debris was not immediately reported to air traffic control and was only discovered the following morning when another aircraft reported debris on the taxiway.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on why the aircraft utilized a takeoff distance that exceeded the available runway length. Investigators examined the use of the Onboard Performance Tool (OPT) by the crew, the accuracy of the aeronautical databases, and the procedures for managing temporary runway restrictions.
The investigation also reviewed the coordination between the airport operator (ADP) and air traffic services (SNA RP) regarding safety impact studies for the construction zone. Furthermore, the investigators analyzed the crew's performance and the adequacy of the airline's operational procedures regarding takeoff weight and runway length calculations.