Preliminary investigation into a Boeing 737-800 tail-strike in Sochi indicates that the aircraft bounced on its initial touchdown.
The Smartavia twinjet (RA-73659) had been arriving from St Petersburg on 18 August.
It conducted its approach to Sochi’s runway 06 in daylight and good visibility, with an 8kt wind from the west – suggesting the presence of a tailwind component.
Federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia states that the “serious incident” followed “errors” which resulted in the aircraft’s “separating from the runway” after the initial touchdown.
As the aircraft bounced, its spoilers deployed and the jet’s airspeed fell below the reference of 138kt. The 737’s descent rate increased, says Rosaviatsia.
The pilot pulled on the control column, presumably to slow the descent, but this led the pitch to increase by more than 9°, sufficient to cause the aft fuselage underside to scrape the runway.
Video images circulating on social media indicate that the aircraft received skin damage.
Formerly operated by Smartavia under the Bermuda registration VP-BEV, the aircraft was originally delivered to China Eastern Airlines in 2005.
“Incidents from the tail section of the fuselage contacting the runway are usually due to errors by the flightcrew,” says the regulator.
It points out, in a 2 September, bulletin that the Sochi occurrence was the second 737 tail-strike to occur last month, after a 12 August event at Syktyvkar involving a 737-900ER operated by Pegas Fly.
Rosaviatsia adds that six incidents of fuselage-runway contact have occurred this year, five during landing and one during take-off.
