A320, Porto Portugal, 2013

A320, Porto Portugal, 2013

Summary

On 1 October 2013, an Airbus A320 took off from a runway intersection at Porto which provided 1900 metres TORA using take off thrust that had been calculated for the full runway length of 3480 metres TORA. It became airborne 350 metres prior to the end of the runway but the subsequent Investigation concluded that it would not have been able to safely reject the take-off or continue it, had an engine failed at high speed. The event was attributed to distraction and the inappropriate formulation of the operating airline's procedures for the pre take-off phase of flight.

Description

On 1 October 2013, an Airbus A320 (HB-IOR) being operated by Belair Airlines on an Air Berlin flight from Porto to Palma de Mallorca as flight AB7785 became airborne close to the end of the runway at Porto after an otherwise uneventful departure in day VMC. Thereafter the flight was completed without further event.

Investigation

Notification of the event was not received until over three weeks after it occurred, on 24 October 2013. Portugal delegated the conduct of the Investigation to Switzerland and it was commenced on 22 November 2013 by the former Swiss Accident Investigation Board (SAIB), since replaced by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB).

Because of the late initial notification, by the time the Investigation started, relevant data from both FDR and CVR were no longer available and neither were relevant ATC radar and communications recordings. However, relevant recorded data from the QAR and both EFBs was available and used.

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