Runway material 'liberates' during take off roll, severely damages aircraft

[Smythe]

This is crazy.....




Air India Airbus A321 (VT-PPN) still sits at Hyderabad Airport, India since it got punctured and severely damaged by loose parts of the runway surface during take-off at Tirupati on 2019-01-29. It still is awaiting repairs.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...campaign=cppst

[Pilot DAR]

Hmmm, I'm surprised to read that the rudder was damaged. I can certainly imagine the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer being damaged, but the rudder?

The damage looks kind of high up on the side to be debris damage, and is that forward fuselage, rather than aft?

Runways have been damaged by jet blast before:

You Tube

[capngrog]

I agree that the damage looks pretty high up on the side of the fuselage to have been caused by Foreign Object Damage from the runway surface. It appears that the photo of the damage is of the left side aft fuselage area, with the left wing root fairing appearing in the lower left side of the photograph. At first, I thought that the damage photo showed the forward right side of the fuselage, but, had that been the case, the bottom sill of the R-2 door would be visible just below the fuselage waterline striping. It looks like repairs (paint removal, surface grinding etc.) have already been started. A repair to a puncture of the outer skin, depending on its location relative to fuselage stringers, rings etc., could be quite complicated (expensive). It would be nice to see a photo of the condition of the runway surface.

Cheers,
Grog

[dixi188]

Was this aircraft damaged whilst lining up behind another that was departing and being caught in the debris blast?

[WillFlyForCheese]

Underside of the horizontal stabilizer

[Pilot DAR]

That, I believe....

[Smythe]

a senior pilot stated the engine ingested pieces of the runway...that is how it go so far up on the fuselage....

[lomapaseo]

Originally Posted by Smythe

a senior pilot stated the engine ingested pieces of the runway...that is how it go so far up on the fuselage....

must have missed all the blades before passing out the exhaust

[Yeehaw22]

Originally Posted by Smythe

a senior pilot stated the engine ingested pieces of the runway...that is how it go so far up on the fuselage....

And yet they still took off and continued to Hyderabad?

They may not have had any knowledge of debris hitting the aft fuselage but through an engine? Highly doubtful.

[Pilot DAR]

a senior pilot stated the engine ingested pieces of the runway...that is how it go so far up on the fuselage....

The engine threw the debris forward during takeoff?

[capngrog]

Just speculation here, but perhaps an over rotation resulted in the jet exhaust impinging directly on an already defective runway surface? That, coupled with the velocity of the airplane at liftoff, could perhaps explain the degree of damage to the under side of the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Grog

[RoyHudd]

Usual silly opinions. The engines could not have ingested anything from their own exhaust jets. Physically impossible with take-off thrust.

And I witnessed the same thing at MAN, holding to take-off on 23L. A 321 threw some large chunks of concrete rearwards, we reported it, the runway was hastily inspected and then (obviously) closed. We eventually were cleared to taxi gently around the damaged area, and took our place at the back of the big queue for 23R. Having burned a fair amount of fuel...anyway...this can happen anywhere but is particularly likely at crap airports.

[BluSdUp]

At rotation?

Hi
Anyone that wants to study Aerodynamics 101, just go to an airport on a rainy day and You will find that there is lots of action and interaction behind the engine , the wing, the tire, and fuselage, at rotation.
Nasty stuff if You now add chunks of tarmac and a good crosswind!
Happy Landings
Cpt B

[Smythe]

Usual silly opinions. The engines could not have ingested anything from their own exhaust jets. Physically impossible with take-off thrust.

Speaking of silly responses.

First off, the post was not my opinion, it was a statement in the press, in its entirety, from an Air India Sr Pilot.

Second, guess you have never seen a -200 with a gravel kit? Not only a vortex generator on the cowling blowing compressed air to prevent the engine from sucking up gravel, but also fenders on the front gear to prevent from kicking gravel up into the engine.....



That damage to the fuselage is right behind the wing box and upwards of the gear...yet that was caused by the gear or engine exhaust ???

[Vzlet]

Vortex Generators?

It's my understanding that the inlet devices are intended to prevent vortices that could vacuum gravel.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Vzlet

It's my understanding that the inlet devices are intended to prevent vortices that could vacuum gravel.

Correct.

Vortex Dissipators
Prevent vortices forming at the engine intakes which could cause gravel to be ingested by engine. These consist of a small forward projecting tube which blows pressure regulated (55psi) engine bleed air down and aft from 3 nozzles at the tip to break up the vortices.

Unpaved Strip Kit

[Pilot DAR]

That damage to the fuselage is right behind the wing box and upwards of the gear

In the photograph posted, it appears to me that the leading edge of the wing root fairing is visible at the extreme left of the photo. Would that not make it the forward part of the fuselage appearing to be damaged?

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Pilot DAR

In the photograph posted, it appears to me that the leading edge of the wing root fairing is visible at the extreme left of the photo. Would that not make it the forward part of the fuselage appearing to be damaged?

No, you're looking at the trailing edge:





If the damage photo was the forward stbd side, you would be able to see the R2 door (and not the registration).

[capngrog]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

No, you're looking at the trailing edge:





If the damage photo was the forward stbd side, you would be able to see the R2 door (and not the registration).

I agree, but I missed your point that the registration is almost always on the aft section of the fuselage. See Post #3.

Cheers,
Grog

[eckhard]

[QUOTE.this can happen anywhere but is particularly likely at crap airports.[/QUOTE]

I believe Luton had a similar problem several years ago with block paving being thrown up and damaging the tailplane of a departing jet.