What happened
On September 5, 1997, an Air Afrique Airbus A300 B4-605R, registration TU-TAI, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Dakar, with a stopover at Bordeaux-Mérignac. During the final approach to runway 23, the aircraft was flying under IFR conditions with the autopilot disconnected at 1,200 feet.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the crew executed a late flare. The landing was hard, with a vertical impact of 1.84 g, primarily on the left main gear. Following the initial contact, the aircraft bounced on the right main gear and entered a significant nose-up attitude that persisted for several seconds. This maneuver caused the tail strut to strike the runway surface, resulting in structural deformation to the lower rear fuselage. The nose gear did not make contact with the pavement until fourteen seconds after the initial touchdown. The aircraft was able to taxi to the parking stand under its own power.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight parameters and cockpit communications. Investigators analyzed data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). The FDR confirmed that the approach and landing procedures were followed according to the standard instrument approach charts, but highlighted the late flare and the subsequent impact.
Review of the CVR revealed the crew's immediate observations following the impact. The co-pilot, acting as the pilot flying, noted that the impact was sudden and that the nose had remained high during the approach. The crew also discussed the necessity of managing the aircraft's attitude to avoid further damage to the airframe.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a late flare during the landing phase.
- The aircraft experienced a hard landing (1.84 g) on the left main gear.
- The subsequent bounce and high pitch attitude led to the tail strike.
- The impact caused damage to the rear fuselage, including deformed skin, torn rivets, and bent floor support structures.
- There were no fatalities or injuries among the 33 passengers and 11 crew members on board.