German Air Force Global 5000 Incident

[josephfeatherweight]

This incident occurred a few weeks ago (mid April 2019) - the following is extracted from a Bombardier Advisory Wire:
I have bolded the understatement in the "Action" section! :eek:

INTRODUCTION: A Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Global 5000 was damaged while landing at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (EDDB) on April 16th, 2019.

DESCRIPTION: The aircraft departed EDDB, en route for Köln/Bonn-Konrad Adenauer Airport (CGN/EDDK), on April 16th , 2019. The aircraft had recently had maintenance activity carried out. The departure out of EDDB was the first flight following the maintenance activity. The flight crew experienced difficulty controlling the aircraft during the climb, declared an emergency and returned to land at EDDB. During the landing, both wing tips made contact with the ground. Directorate Aviation Safety Bundeswehr is investigating this Serious Incident. Due to the involvement of military authorities, the investigation is not subject to ICAO Annex 13 protocols; however, Bombardier is supporting the investigation in a very similar fashion. Bombardier is working with the Directorate Aviation Safety Bundeswehr to understand what caused the control difficulties. The investigation has not identified any airworthiness issues at this time. If that should change, Bombardier will take action as appropriate to ensure the safety of the fleet. Bombardier Global 5000 jets remain safely in operation around the world and the German Luftwaffe continues to operate its 3 available Global 5000 jets in parallel to the investigation.

ACTION: No action is required at this time. However, all operators and maintenance providers are reminded that carrying out thorough flight control checks, paying attention not only to freedom of movement, but also correct sense of surface movement, prior to releasing an aircraft to service or taking off, is always a good practice.

-------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Some alarming photos on this link - check out the position of the ailerons vs the spoilers - someone got something 'round the wrong way! Good effort to get it on the ground.
https://amp.dw.com/en/german-government-jet-suffers-serious-damage-in-crash-landing/a-48403681

[Miles Magister]

This is good advice. I was always taught to say "Full, Free and Correct movement" as SOP. In the good old days when the world was in black and white we used to have a crew chief on a long lead who used to call the movements of the controls as we did the checks on every flight. I once had a chief who stated that he thought the rudder was not moving properly, we scrubbed the trip and found that the rudder was not rigged correctly thus proving his value.

This is not the first time that controls have been mis-rigged after maintenance, if indeed that is what happened, so you must check. I have always done a thorough check with one pilot outside looking at the control movements after maintenance because that is what I was taught to do by a wise old pilot many years ago but I have often seen looks of contempt from other pilots when I do it. The professional pride that I was brought up with is often lacking in today's environment.

MM

[Private jet]

Going back to my first career as an aircraft engineer, the rule was that if any part of a flight control system, ( control cable, PCU & these days FBW signalling) is dismantled then a full function check of it (sense & movement) is carried out after reassembly. It's been 21 years since I moved on but they MUST still do this surely?

[EatMyShorts!]

Just like this: Accident: Astana E190 at Alverca on Nov 11th 2018, severe control problems (http://avherald.com/h?article=4c04438e&opt=0)

Accident: Astana E190 at Alverca on Nov 11th 2018, severe control problems
An Air Astana Embraer ERJ-190, registration P4-KCJ performing flight KC-1388 from Alverca (Portugal) to Minsk (Belarus) and further on to Almaty (Kazakhstan) with 3 crew and 3 passengers, was in the initial climb in adverse meteorologic conditions when the crew felt the aircraft did not adequately respond to control inputs, the autopilot could not be engaged. The aircraft developed oscillatory wing movements despite the crew using the controls in all three aircraft axis to counter and minimize the oscillations. The aircraft and occupants encountered high G-loads. The crew declared emergency considering to ditch the aircraft in the ocean due to the lack of control while continuing to struggle with the aircraft, none of the aircraft systems issued any indication of malfunction, only alerts for abnormal flight attitudes occurred. The crew lost control completely several times but were able to regain control to some extent. In discussion between the 3 pilots on board as well as the 3 technicians the crew decided to disable the flight control module (FCM) and put the flight controls into direct mode. Thereafter the situation improved considerably, however, without restoring normal operation as difficulties to control the aircraft's roll axis (ailerons, bank angle) remained. The crew realized the ailerons were behaving erratically and reduced roll control to an absolute minimum. After the crew was able to maintain heading and altitude the crew decided to look for an airport in good weather, a plan was developed with ATC to land at Beja (Portugal). A pair of F-16 fighter aircraft by Portugal's Air Force joined the aircraft. A landing was intended on Beja's runway 19R, the aircraft needed to go around twice due to unstabilized approaches, approached runway 19R a third time and touched down on runway 19L due to being unable to correct the drift. 2 occupants were taken to a hospital.

[ivor toolbox]

This incident occurred a few weeks ago (mid April 2019) - the following is extracted from a Bombardier Advisory Wire:
I have bolded the understatement in the "Action" section! :eek:

INTRODUCTION: A Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Global 5000 was damaged while landing at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (EDDB) on April 16th, 2019.

DESCRIPTION: The aircraft departed EDDB, en route for Köln/Bonn-Konrad Adenauer Airport (CGN/EDDK), on April 16th , 2019. The aircraft had recently had maintenance activity carried out. The departure out of EDDB was the first flight following the maintenance activity. The flight crew experienced difficulty controlling the aircraft during the climb, declared an emergency and returned to land at EDDB. During the landing, both wing tips made contact with the ground. Directorate Aviation Safety Bundeswehr is investigating this Serious Incident. Due to the involvement of military authorities, the investigation is not subject to ICAO Annex 13 protocols; however, Bombardier is supporting the investigation in a very similar fashion. Bombardier is working with the Directorate Aviation Safety Bundeswehr to understand what caused the control difficulties. The investigation has not identified any airworthiness issues at this time. If that should change, Bombardier will take action as appropriate to ensure the safety of the fleet. Bombardier Global 5000 jets remain safely in operation around the world and the German Luftwaffe continues to operate its 3 available Global 5000 jets in parallel to the investigation.

ACTION: No action is required at this time. However, all operators and maintenance providers are reminded that carrying out thorough flight control checks, paying attention not only to freedom of movement, but also correct sense of surface movement, prior to releasing an aircraft to service or taking off, is always a good practice.

-------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Some alarming photos on this link - check out the position of the ailerons vs the spoilers - someone got something 'round the wrong way! Good effort to get it on the ground.
https://amp.dw.com/en/german-government-jet-suffers-serious-damage-in-crash-landing/a-48403681

More likely electronic rigging not performed after resetting spoilers maintenance mode. FYI the spoilers on Global are run by computers.

Ttfn

[His dudeness]

Apperently acc. to "der Spiegel" a write off.

https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/notlandung-eines-regierungsfliegers-totalschaden-am-kanzler-jet-a-1284997.html

3 of 4 wingspars and the whole gear need replacement. A/C sustained more than 5 G during the incident. Torque tube assembly was installed wrong, acc. to the article.

[EDMJ]

Apperently acc. to "der Spiegel" a write off.



3 of 4 wingspars and the whole gear need replacement. A/C sustained more than 5 G during the incident. Torque tube assembly was installed wrong, acc. to the article.

Does anyone know just exactly what "torque tube assembly" this could be, i.e. where is it located and which parts does it connect?

[Jet Jockey A4]

Well now they can replace it by a 7500.

[piperpa46]

Will the mechanic be charged with the cost of a new aircraft?

[Miles Magister]

It is poor design where a critical flight control part can be fitted the wrong way round. I would like to hope that there would be a design change so that the fittings on each end are made differently such that it is impossible to fit incorrectly.

MM

[josephfeatherweight]

It is poor design where a critical flight control part can be fitted the wrong way round. I would like to hope that there would be a design change so that the fittings on each end are made differently such that it is impossible to fit incorrectly.

MM
I want to know more about the actual mistake! Likely to be a report, or as it is military, not available for public consumption?

[His dudeness]

Will the mechanic be charged with the cost of a new aircraft?


"The mechanic" being Lufthansa, I doubt that very much. The German state has allowed Lufthansa to rip them off for ages, I don´t think this will ever stop.

[macjet]

Does anybody actually know what went really wrong on this?

Did the ailerons work in the correct way and the spoilers (ail. augmentation system) the wrong way or were the ailerons reversed and the spoilers OK?

[compressor stall]

On the subject of control reversals, for Airbus pilots, this is why you look at the lower EWD page when you do your control checks.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/147094

I can't find a translation of the report, but essentially the Captain's ailerons were reverse sense due to miswiring of the ELAC.....