Taiwanese regulators are advising Airbus A330 operators to consider the effects of wet runways on aircraft deceleration after a near-overrun incident at Taipei’s Songshan airport.
As the aircraft landed on the wet runway and the thrust reversers were activated, says the Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration, the crew “noticed the loss” of all three primary flight computers.
The aircraft’s thrust-reversers, automatic braking system, and spoilers were also unavailable, which affected the A330’s deceleration.
“Maximum manual braking was applied, and the aircraft was stopped right before the end of the runway safely,” says the administration in a 24 June safety bulletin. The crew then requested towing.
The administration states that the root cause of the failure is “still under investigation”.
But the bulletin recommends that A330 operators consider “possible deceleration deficiency” if such conditions occur while conducting an approach to a wet runway.
“If the landing distance available is a concern, consider diverting to an alternate airport,” it says.
It adds that, if automatic braking is unavailable, the crew should “promptly” switch to an alternate system or apply manual braking.
The administration’s bulletin does not identify the airline involved in the incident – beyond stating that the jet was Taiwanese-registered – or the location.
But the Taiwanese publication United Daily News has reported that a China Airlines A330-300 arriving at Songshan from Shanghai on 14 June experienced the flight computer malfunction and other systems failures.
It reports that the crew initiated manual braking but the aircraft stopped just over 9m (30ft) from the end of the runway. The publication indicates that the twinjet – which it identifies as B-18302 – was only lightly loaded, with 80 occupants.
Songshan airport has a single runway, designated 10/28, which is about 2,600m in length. The airport had been affected by thunderstorms and rain for several hours on 14 June.
FlightGlobal has contacted China Airlines for comment.
