VU-XUE - Fuel Starvation - Jundee
Good example of the controllability issues faced by the crew in a very abnormal situation. For those that don't know, the LH engine rolled back, and eventually shut down due to fuel starvation on finals.
The crew recalled that, as the pilot in command advanced the engine power levers at the commencement of the go-around, the aircraft yawed and rolled left ‘aggressively’. The co-pilot applied right rudder and aileron but was unable to control the aircraft. He informed the pilot in command that he was unable to hold the control inputs, so the pilot in command placed his hands on the control yoke and his feet on the rudder pedals and assisted the co-pilot. Together, they were able to steady the aircraft’s flight path, which they estimated at that time to have been approximately 100 ft above ground level, with 30 degrees bank left, and 100 to 111 kts airspeed. The crew reported that the stick shaker activated twice, and that each time they slightly reduced the control yoke back pressure. During that period, the EGPWS warning ‘too low terrain’ sounded. The co-pilot called for the flaps to be retracted to the ‘flaps 25’ position. After the pilot in command confirmed that the co-pilot had control, flap 25 was selected. The crew reported that the airspeed slowly began to rise above 111 kts and the left bank started decreasing, although full right aileron and rudder inputs were still required. The crew retracted the flaps
to 15 degrees, and the co-pilot was able to return the aircraft to a wings level attitude. The aircraft achieved a positive rate of climb a short time later. The crew then retracted the landing gear.
31 people were very lucky to walk away from that one.