Airbus A310 experiences sudden pitch-up and stall during Orly approach

Casualties unknown • FR

An Airbus A310 operated by Tarom experienced a sudden, severe pitch-up and aerodynamic stall while approaching Paris Orly, forcing the crew to execute an emergency recovery.

What happened

On September 24, 1994, an Airbus A310, registration YR-LCA, was performing a commercial passenger flight from Bucharest to Paris Orly. During the approach to runway 26, the flight crew transitioned from an automated approach to manual flight after the aircraft failed to automatically capture the ILS glide slope.

While descending through 1,700 feet, the commander requested a flap configuration change to 20 degrees. As the flaps were moved, the autothrottle responded by increasing engine thrust, creating a pitch-up tendency. The crew attempted to counter this by applying nose-down elevator input while the autothrottle remained active. However, following a rapid reduction of thrust to idle, the horizontal stabilizer began to move toward a full nose-up position.

This resulted in a sudden and severe pitch-up, with the aircraft' and longitudinal attitude reaching 60 degrees. The aircraft entered a stall, with the airspeed dropping to a minimum of 35 knots and the aircraft reaching a maximum altitude of 4,100 feet. During the subsequent descent, the aircraft reached a low altitude of 800 feet before the crew successfully regained control. The crew performed a visual circuit and completed a second approach, landing safely at Orly.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the mechanical and logic-based interactions between the autothrottle, the horizontal stabilizer, and the flight control systems. Investigators examined the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recordings to reconstruct the sequence of events, specifically looking at the movement of the thrust levers and the stabilizer trim. The analysis included a simulation of the Auto Flight System (AFS) protection modes and the logic governing stall prevention and speed protection.

Findings

  • The primary cause of the incident was a sudden and uncontrolled pitch-up maneuver triggered by the simultaneous movement of the horizontal stabilizer and the thrust levers.
  • The crew's attempt to manage the aircraft's configuration led to a sequence where the autothrottle increased power, followed by a rapid manual reduction to idle, which coincided with the stabilizer moving to its maximum nose-up limit.
  • The aircraft experienced a significant aerodynamic stall, with the flight path becoming highly unstable and the aircraft reaching a pitch attitude of 60 degrees.
  • There were no injuries among the 175 passengers or the 11 crew members on board.

Probable cause

The incident was caused by a sudden pitch-up and subsequent stall resulting from the interaction between the autothrottle's thrust adjustments and the horizontal stabilizer's movement to a maximum nose-up position during configuration changes.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1994-09-24 relatif à l’incident survenu le 24 septembre 1994 pendant l’approche sur Orly accident near FR?

An Airbus A310 operated by Tarom experienced a sudden, severe pitch-up and aerodynamic stall while approaching Paris Orly, forcing the crew to execute an emergency recovery.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1994-09-24 involved a relatif à l’incident survenu le 24 septembre 1994 pendant l’approche sur Orly, at FR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The incident was caused by a sudden pitch-up and subsequent stall resulting from the interaction between the autothrottle's thrust adjustments and the horizontal stabilizer's movement to a maximum nose-up position during configuration changes.

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