What happened
On 11 December 2018, an Air Canada Boeing 777-333ER, registration C-FITW, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Hong Kong International Airport. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot flying transitioned from autopilot to manual flight after descending through 500 feet above the aerodrome elevation. Following this transition, the aircraft's profile drifted high above the glideslope.
As the aircraft reached approximately 200 feet, it began experiencing lateral roll deviations. In response to the pilot's control inputs, the aircraft entered a series of pronounced rolls to the left and right. Upon contacting the runway, the aircraft struck the surface with a high rate of descent and a nose-high pitch. The right main landing gear made contact first, followed by the left main gear and the aft lower fuselage. The aircraft then bounced twice, eventually impacting the nose gear before completing the landing roll.
There were 0 injuries to the 376 passengers and 17 crew members on board, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
The AAIA investigation examined flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and aircraft damage. The investigation focused on the flight crew's management of the approach, specifically looking at the onset of oscillations and the decision-making process regarding a potential go-around. The team also analyzed the aircraft's maintenance history and the crew's training status, noting that the pilot flying was undergoing initial operating experience on the type.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot induced oscillation (PIO) during the manual phase of the approach.
- The flight crew failed to execute a go-around despite the approach becoming unstabilized.
- The pilot flying experienced a loss of situational awareness during the oscillation.
- The pilot monitoring also experienced a loss of situational awareness.
- The approach did not meet stabilized approach criteria.