What happened
On October 6, 2022, a Boeing 737-8F2, registration TC-JVN, operated by Turkish Airlines, was landing on runway 04 at Hatay Airport (LTDA) on flight TK-2256 from Istanbul. The aircraft was operating under a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) item because the anti-skid system was inoperative.
During the landing roll, all four main landing gear tires burst. The intense friction caused the main gear wheels to skid along the runway, resulting in damage to the braking system and the rims. The crew observed sparks and a bright orange glow, and the tower notified the crew of a fire under the aircraft. The crew initiated an evacuation of the 105 passengers and 6 crew members. There were no fatalities or injuries.
The investigation
The UEİM investigation examined the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to analyze the landing sequence. The investigation reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that several tires had been replaced in the weeks prior to the event. The investigators also analyzed the pilot's manual braking performance against the required procedures outlined in the Flight Crew Training Manual (FCTM) and Quick Reference Handbook (QRH).
Findings
- The aircraft was operating with an inoperative anti-skid system, requiring the crew to utilize manual braking techniques.
- The crew's focus on managing the anti-skid failure led to a loss of situational awareness.
- The pilot failed to follow prescribed manual braking procedures; specifically, the pilot applied braking pressure before the nose gear had made contact with the runway and before the speedbrakes were fully deployed.
- FDR analysis showed that the pilot applied high braking pressure immediately, whereas the correct procedure requires increasing pressure gradually from low to high.
- There was a period of approximately 5 seconds where the aircraft lost full contact with the ground between the first and second touchdown, during which high braking pressures (2284 psi and 2040 psi) were applied.
- The crew's preoccupation with the manual braking task distracted them from monitoring other critical phases of the landing.