Description

On 8 September 2020, at night and in good visibility, a Boeing 737-800 (EI-8AS) being operated by Ryanair on a scheduled international passenger flight from Malta to Birmingham as FR3902 touched down on runway 33 at destination and the crew did not see any obstruction on the runway. Two minutes later, another Boeing 737-800 (G-GDFR) being operated by Jet2 on a scheduled international passenger flight from Chania to Birmingham as LS1244 touched down on the same runway and, on clearing the runway, reported to ATC that they has seen either an object or an abnormal paint marking within the runway touchdown zone. The crew of a third aircraft, a Boeing 757-200 (G-OOBA) being operated by Tui Airways on a scheduled international passenger flight from Antalya to Birmingham as BY755 and two minutes behind the Jet 2 flight, had heard the report of the previous aircraft and were asked if they wished to continue their approach and stated that they would. Touchdown occurred two minutes later and when vacating the runway, the crew reported that they had seen a large object, possibly a ladder, on the runway in the TDZ just to the right of the centreline. The runway was closed and the ladder located and recovered and reopened after a full runway inspection had found no more objects. The three aircraft involved were undamaged and had a total of 426 occupants on board.

The ladder as found close to the runway 33 centreline and 500 metres past the threshold. [Reproduced from the Official Report]