German investigators are supporting a probe into a runway excursion at Astana earlier this year which damaged an Air Astana Airbus A320.
The aircraft – arriving from Shymkent – had conducted an approach to runway 22, in poor weather conditions, on 22 May.
Meteorological data for Astana airport at the time indicates local thunderstorm activity, rain and crosswinds from the right, with gusts exceeding 48kt.
Video images purportedly showing the landing suggest the aircraft’s spoilers had deployed upon touchdown, but that the A320 quickly began to veer to the right of the runway.
It crossed the boundary of taxiway B, located 1,200m from the runway 22 threshold, travelling onto the grass before crossing the adjacent taxiway C some 180m further along.
The video images indicate the aircraft continued to travel over grass before managing to return to the runway and decelerate before it was abeam of a radar station, located on the left side of the runway about 1,000m from where the excursion began.
German investigation authority BFU says the aircraft sustained damage to its engine intake and the low-pressure compressor, as well as inflicting damage on airport lighting. The authority has disclosed that it is participating in the inquiry because one of the pilots is a German citizen.
Flight Fleets Analyzer indicates that the airframe involved was P4-KBB, an International Aero Engines V2500-powered jet delivered new to the Kazakh carrier in 2013.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
