Originally Posted by
24left
Well, this interesting.
Hong Kong SAR
Air Accident investigation Authority
Preliminary Report
Boeing 777-333ER
C-FITW
11 December 2018
ARC: Abnormal Runway Contact
https://www.thb.gov.hk/aaia/doc/Airc...%201-2019e.pdf
"Aircraft Damage: Substantial"
"The aircraft is currently unserviceable"
"The First Officer (FO) was the Pilot-Flying from the Top of Descent"
*****
And similar to what I wrote in posts about my experience at landing.
QUOTE:
"At approximately 200 feet above the runway while continuing to descend to the touch down point the aircraft entered into series of minor lateral roll deviations followed by a pronounced roll first to the left and then to the right, the Pilot-Flying introduced large control inputs into the aircraft to control the sudden and unanticipated roll behaviour.
The aircraft was not wings level at the touchdown point as it was rolling to the right. On touchdown the right-hand main gear contacted the runway first.
With a high rate of descent in conjunction with a nose high pitch attitude, the underside of the rear fuselage contacted the runway surface during the hard landing, the aircraft then bounced before returning to the runway centreline. "
The FO had recently been qualified on the B777, receiving the B777 aircraft type rating on 6 December 2018.
This flight was the first B777 operating flight for the FO, the first actual landing of a B777 outside of a B777 Level D flight simulator and the first arrival into Hong Kong as an operating crew member.
The plot thickens! Skimming the report it seems like a combination of weather and inexperience of the FO landing the plane were to blame on this one. In particular I'm surprised that this was the first actual flight the FO was on for that aircraft and the first time they've landed at HKG. From what I hear and have experienced first hand, while not as dangerous as good ol' Kai Tak, Chep Lap Kok is not the easiest approach either thanks to the often windy conditions and terrain risks. If anything AC should've had the FO try simpler low-risk approaches on the 777 like SFO or YYZ.
Combine this event and the two runway incursions at SFO and you've got to wonder whether AC is having a pilot rostering issue.
Out of curiosity what does substantial damage and the aircraft is currently unserviceable mean? Does that mean the aircraft is totalled? If so, I'm surprised AC didn't pass out celebratory cake and champagne to mark the end of their yellow stripe service
Safe Travels,
James