What happened
On the evening of 2 October 2010, a Corendon Airlines Boeing 737-4Y0, registration TC-TJF, was completing a scheduled passenger flight from Dalaman, Turkey, to Amsterdam Schip and Schiphol Airport. The flight, carrying 167 passengers and 6 crew members, was originally prepared to land on Runway 18R. However, due to changing weather conditions, Air Traffic Control reassigned the aircraft to Runway 22.
As the aircraft approached the runway in dusk conditions with heavy rain, the crew transitioned from autopilot to manual flight at approximately 200 feet. During the landing phase, the aircraft performed an early flare maneuver at roughly 50 feet, which caused the plane to float above the runway surface. The aircraft eventually touched down approximately halfway down the runway. Despite the application of maximum manual braking, thrust reversers, and the auto-brake system, the aircraft could not stop in time and overran the paved surface by approximately nine meters. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew, though the aircraft sustained minor damage to the nose wheel.
The investigation
Investigators from the Dutch Safety Board analyzed data from the flight data recorder (FDR) and the quick access recorder (QAR), as the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) failed to capture the approach and landing due to the electrical power remaining on after the event. The investigation examined the aircraft's flight path, the weather conditions, and the mechanical performance of the braking systems.
Technical analysis revealed that the aircraft's touchdown point was significantly further down the runway than preceding aircraft. The investigation also scrutinized the deployment of the speed brakes, which were found to be only partially extended, and the impact of the weather on the crew's ability to monitor the runway environment.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the runway excursion:
- An early flare maneuver at 50 feet caused the aircraft to float, resulting in a touchdown much further down the runway than optimal.
- The speed brakes were only partially deployed, which reduced the overall braking effectiveness.
- The aircraft reached a state where deceleration was limited by the available friction of the runway surface.
- Heavy rain and low cloud cover at the time of landing likely impaired the crew's visual depth perception regarding the runway distance.