What happened
On 7 August 2023, a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800, registration PK-GNM, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Jakarta to Banjarmasin. The flight, GIA532, carried 145 passengers and seven crew members.
During the approach to Runway 10 at Syamsudin Noor International Airport, the pilots noted that the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) altitude callouts were occurring at an unusually rapid interval. As the aircraft transitioned to manual flying near the runway threshold, it touched down and bounced with a high pitch attitude. The crew, unable to maintain visual contact with the runway during the bounce, initiated a go-around procedure by increasing engine power.
During the subsequent go-around attempt, the aircraft experienced a second touchdown at a high pitch angle, resulting in a tail strike. The impact was severe enough that the Tower controller observed sparks on the runway. Following the incident, the aircraft entered a holding pattern at waypoint LIBNU while airport authorities conducted a runway inspection. After the inspection was completed, the crew successfully landed the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The KNKT investigation focused on the sequence of events leading from the initial touchdown to the structural damage. Investigators examined the aircraft's flight recorders (FDR and CVR) and inspected the wreckage. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's lower aft fuselage skin and the tailskid damper sustained significant damage, including scratches, cracks, punctures, and deformations. An inspection of the runway revealed an 18-meter scratch mark approximately 400 meters from the start of the runway. The investigation also noted that while there were no injuries to the 145 passengers or crew, one oxygen mask in a lavatory had deployed during the event.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a bounced landing characterized by a high pitch attitude.
- The decision to execute a go-around was made after the initial touchdown and bounce.
- The lower part of the empennage impacted the runway during the go-around phase.
- The impact caused substantial structural damage to the aft fuselage skin, frames, and stringers.
- The Tower controller observed visible sparks during the tail strike event.
Safety action
Following the occurrence, Garuda Indonesia implemented several safety measures, including:
- Conducting briefings for B737 pilots regarding tail strike prevention and flare techniques.
- Publishing a specific Notice to Flight Crew regarding tail strike landing risks.
- Holding safety sharing sessions and meetings for the B737-800 flight crew.
- Organizing a workshop between the airline and Boeing focused on hard landing prevention.
- Planning updates to the recurrent training syllabus to include scenarios for hard landing and stall prevention.