Alitalia A320 partial gear up in Fco!

[countdownconundrum]

Just sitting at the holding point for 25 in Rome FCO this evening and saw Alitalia A320 (I think) land with a gear problem. 16L

Was pitch black, but saw sparks and the aircraft ended up nose high like and wind down! Just like all airbus gear failures these days!

Good response from FCO, with buses and emergency vehicles.

[robbreid]

Instagram (http://instagram.com/p/e20OHFKxC-/#) photo

[munster]

The FCO website says flight 063 from Madrid, 151 on board, no injuries.

[Super VC-10]

Accident: Alitalia A320 at Rome on Sep 29th 2013, right main gear did not extend (http://avherald.com/h?article=469338e0&opt=0)

[Capn Bloggs]

the aircraft ended up nose high like and wind down!
Not unexpected as the C of G would be behind the left main wheels-right engine pod line.

[RAD_ALT_ALIVE]

This is an 'EI' registered aircraft.

Who operates these A320's on behalf of Alitalia? The Alitalia-painted ATR that was involved in the FCO incident was also operated by another company on behalf of Alitalia - does this mob operate anything in their own right anymore??

[claser111]

Most of Alitalia's fleet is now "EI" registered and that A320 was fully Alitalia with an italian crew. They did a good job and nobody was injured! :ok:

[golfyankeesierra]

No injuries, and judging from what Avherald reports they certainly did a good and thorough job.
If it was a Brit crew it would be kudo's all around and probably have been commended for a medal as well, but hey, this is an Italian "mob".
But I think it's a job well done!

[captplaystation]

Carbon copy of Wizzair, same type same airfield.

[DaveReidUK]

They did a good job and nobody was injured!An injury-free evacuation is a rare event. Sky News are suggesting that this one wasn't:

Plane Skids Off Runway At Rome Airport (http://news.sky.com/story/1148039/plane-skids-off-runway-at-rome-airport)

[main_dog]

If it was a Brit crew it would be kudo's all around and probably have been commended for a medal as well, but hey, this is an Italian "mob".

So true!

RAD_ALT, while it is true AZ wetleases other airlines' aircraft/crew (and indeed has had problems with them) this was a standard AZ aircraft/crew, albeit a leased aircraft. Say what you will about AZ's dysfunctional and perennially loss-making management, but I found the quality of training and crews at AZ to be generally top-notch. "Mob" seems a bit unfair.

Good job by the crew it would appear, well done... medals all round and cappuccini e cornetti for all instead of tea and biscuits. :ok:

[DOVES]

Alitalia crews are highly trained to make safe and comfortable flights for passengers.

[ManaAdaSystem]

Did they shut down the airport when this happened, or did they keep the other runways operational?

[andrasz]

Will be interesting to see if they will be as quick to paint over tha Alitalia logo as they were with the Carpatair ATR.. ? (or our Thai friends...)

[lowandfast]

25 open for take offs and 16R open for landings

[ManaAdaSystem]

So they manage to operate the airport and an emergency at the same time? That is very good, as opposed to LHR where they shut down the whole airport the moment a captain farts to loud.
LHR management have a thing or two to learn from the italians.

[Hotel Tango]

If I recall correctly, LHR had two emergencies (requiring fire appliances) going on more or less simultaneously, effectively reducing emergency cover to below minimum required for continued runway ops.

[Admiral346]

According to the Herald, there was an LH 321 that returned with a gear problem 5h ahead of this incident, and today I saw an A320 land at FRA with the firetrucks rolling beind, with the gear doors down. If I remember correctly, and it is some 15 years ago Iflew that beast, that would indcate either a manual extension, or some hydraulics fault...

Are the 320s getting old?

[ManaAdaSystem]

Yes, they shut down LHR for an extened period when the Etiopian 787 started to burn, and they shut down when BA started to throw cowlings around, and they shut down when BA crashed short of 27L, and if my memory serves me right, they shut down once for a VS partial gear up landing. I'm sure there have been other closures as well.

I expect a major international airport to keep open when there is an accident on one runway and the other one is clear. If not, they should limit everyday operations to one runway only.

[Machinbird]

Are the 320s getting old? Everything gets old if it hangs around long enough.:sad:

Judging from the rate of main gear extension failures on the type, it may be time to retrofit oaken runners to the pods to keep from scuffing up the tin.:}

[Super VC-10]

Oaken runners? wouldn't a small (say 12"/300mm diameter) wheel do a better job? Would save a lot of dinged engines at a cost of a small increase in fuel consumption.

[Airbus_a321]

I expect a major international airport to keep open when there is an accident on one runway and the other one is clear. If not, they should limit everyday operations to one runway only.
So do I. Fully agree.

[Liffy 1M]

Are the 320s getting old?

The incident aircraft was built in mid-2010.
EI-EIB Alitalia Airbus A320-216 - cn 4249 - Planespotters.net Just Aviation (http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Airbus/A320/4249,EI-EIB-Alitalia.php)

[DozyWannabe]

As I recall, the LHR closure was down to both incidents (one on-runway and on off) requiring the emergency equipment, meaning there was insufficient emergency cover to operate the second runway safely.

ManaAda and A_321, would you feel the same way if it were you who had to make an emergency landing on the remaining runway with insufficient emergency equipment to cover it? Of course, if what you're saying is that LHR should expand its emergency coverage, then that'd make more sense.

Steering back on-topic, I don't think it's a case of the A320 fleet getting "old", it's just that these days there are so many of them that you will get the occasional day where several of them "go tech" for similar reasons!

[robert f jones]

Might I respectfully suggest you log on to CAP 168 and broaden your RFFS knowledge. The overall length / height of the B787 (and on fire) could have required 3 appliances which would substantially reduce the size / height of landing or departing aircraft. An unacceptable task for ATC Controllers I think.

[ATC Watcher]

Are the 320s getting old?
We unfortunately all are ...:E

[Eclectic]

In flight video: Video: Italy plane crash seen from inside the aircraft - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10347811/Italy-plane-crash-seen-from-inside-the-aircraft.html)