CX Tailstrike
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 606
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong
As an interested SLF, I'm surprised this hasn't come up again now that the report has been published...
As I understand it from the SCMP (yes, I know, but it's all I have to go on...) the problem was underinflated oleos causing the plane to sit far too low. This was spotted on walkround but deemed OK by engineering in AKL. The Captain allowed himself to be talked out of believing there had been a tailstrike by a "very senior" Captain on the ground.
It seems from the SCMP report that the maintenance concern is a serious one since apparently on checking 50% of the A340s had a similar problem with the oleos, and this wasn't being picked up in routine maintenance.
And the second lesson was that the Captain in the air (and the cabin crew who reported it) were absolutely correct about the tailstrike, and shouldn't have let himself be talked out of a divert.
Did the SCMP get it more or less right for once?
As I understand it from the SCMP (yes, I know, but it's all I have to go on...) the problem was underinflated oleos causing the plane to sit far too low. This was spotted on walkround but deemed OK by engineering in AKL. The Captain allowed himself to be talked out of believing there had been a tailstrike by a "very senior" Captain on the ground.
It seems from the SCMP report that the maintenance concern is a serious one since apparently on checking 50% of the A340s had a similar problem with the oleos, and this wasn't being picked up in routine maintenance.
And the second lesson was that the Captain in the air (and the cabin crew who reported it) were absolutely correct about the tailstrike, and shouldn't have let himself be talked out of a divert.
Did the SCMP get it more or less right for once?
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 0
From: Asia
christep
Not really. The oleos were still inflated within the limits stipulated by Airbus but on the low side of those limits. As far as I have been told there was no senior captain on the ground in Auckland or Hong Kong that tried to convince the Captain that a tail strike hadn’t occurred. I believe the captain was in contact with IOC in HK and the duty manager there after contacting Auckland tower and engineering advised the captain that a tail strike probably didn’t occur. As a side note non of the cockpit crew had any idea that a tail strike may have occurred until informed by one of the cabin crew down the back approaching FL185 that she heard a strange noise on takeoff.
As for the merits of continuing the flight, well no one is condoning the decision. The said captain has been counseled and undergone retraining. The company is looking at the errors made by others that led to this happening one hopes and counseling will be imposed.
Not really. The oleos were still inflated within the limits stipulated by Airbus but on the low side of those limits. As far as I have been told there was no senior captain on the ground in Auckland or Hong Kong that tried to convince the Captain that a tail strike hadn’t occurred. I believe the captain was in contact with IOC in HK and the duty manager there after contacting Auckland tower and engineering advised the captain that a tail strike probably didn’t occur. As a side note non of the cockpit crew had any idea that a tail strike may have occurred until informed by one of the cabin crew down the back approaching FL185 that she heard a strange noise on takeoff.
As for the merits of continuing the flight, well no one is condoning the decision. The said captain has been counseled and undergone retraining. The company is looking at the errors made by others that led to this happening one hopes and counseling will be imposed.
The Reverend
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,020
Likes: 0
From: Sydney,NSW,Australia
Titan, the MLG oleos were grossly under inflated and out side AMM limits. The left oleo pressure (required: 120.5 BARS) was 62 BARS, -49%. The right oleo pressure was 69 BARS, -43%. The AMM tolerance is +/- 15mm, which corresponds to +/- 8 BARS.
The centre line gear was also outside tolerances.
The centre line gear was also outside tolerances.
The Reverend
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,020
Likes: 0
From: Sydney,NSW,Australia
I don't think you can get it online at the moment as it is the CX internal investigation report which is in house only but sooner or later you'll be able to read the official CAD findings. None of which should be detrimental to operating crew procedures.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
From: Asia
I agree with the Rev.
The report is very comprehensive and well written.
HXI was an accident waiting to happen. The bar graphs on oleo pressures at the bottom of the report covering the 340 and 330 fleet are very enlightening.
No one can convince me that we do not live in a less safe environment without the ginger beers.
Full marks to the F/O for raising the question. Shame on the system for ignoring him and then talking the operating crew out of the their original conclusion and decision.
I am sure that the Captain learned a very valuable lesson. If you carry the can (which you do when it all goes pear shaped), follow your instincts...and I am very pleased his standing in the company was not damaged in this process.
All's well that ends well and I am sure that this incident and the report will improve the safety of the Bus overall.
Toulouse or not Toulouse ...that is still the question
The report is very comprehensive and well written.
HXI was an accident waiting to happen. The bar graphs on oleo pressures at the bottom of the report covering the 340 and 330 fleet are very enlightening.
No one can convince me that we do not live in a less safe environment without the ginger beers.
Full marks to the F/O for raising the question. Shame on the system for ignoring him and then talking the operating crew out of the their original conclusion and decision.
I am sure that the Captain learned a very valuable lesson. If you carry the can (which you do when it all goes pear shaped), follow your instincts...and I am very pleased his standing in the company was not damaged in this process.
All's well that ends well and I am sure that this incident and the report will improve the safety of the Bus overall.
Toulouse or not Toulouse ...that is still the question
Last edited by Traffic; 16th June 2004 at 09:36.
