Russian investigators have disclosed that the Utair Boeing 737-800 which overran at Sochi touched down almost halfway along the runway.
The aircraft landed around 1,300m from the threshold of runway 06 after arriving from Moscow Vnukovo on 1 September, states federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia.
Sochi’s runway 06 has a length of 2,890m.
Rosaviatsia says 166 passengers and six crew members were on board the aircraft. The jet had already executed a missed approach before it conducted a second attempt to land.
The second approach took place in poor weather, with rain and winds from the south – suggesting a small tailwind component – and runway visibility of around 6,000m. There was a 3mm coating of water on the runway.
Rosaviatsia also indicates moderate windshear below 200m, and windshear warnings were in force for runways 06 and 02.
The aircraft’s captain, who had nearly 5,400h in command on type, was qualified for approaches in minima down to Category IIIa.
But Rosaviatsia says the crew’s actions “could not stop the aircraft within the runway”. It rolled 140m off the end, crashing through a perimeter fence and coming to halt in the Mzymta river, before the left-hand engine ignited.
Rosaviatsia states that the aircraft sustained “significant” damage to its undercarriage, engine and wing.
Interstate Aviation Committee investigators have proposed recommendations that crews undergo reinforced training on approach decision-making during thunderstorm activity, procedures in cases of destabilised approaches or windshear warnings, and the use of reverse thrust.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
