E120, Amsterdam Netherlands, 2016

E120, Amsterdam Netherlands, 2016

Summary

On 18 January 2016, an Embraer 120 crew made a night takeoff from Amsterdam Runway 24 unaware that the aircraft was aligned with the right side runway edge lights. After completion of an uneventful flight, holes in the right side fuselage and damage to the right side propeller blades, the latter including wire embedded in a blade leading edge, were found. The Investigation concluded that poor visual cues guiding aircraft onto the runway at the intersection concerned were conducive to pilot error and noted that despite ATS awareness of intersection takeoff risks, no corresponding risk mitigation had been undertaken.

Description

On 18 January 2016, an Embraer 120 (EC-JBD) being operated by Swiftair on an international scheduled cargo flight from Amsterdam to London Stansted was found, after completion of its flight, to have damage to both the right propeller and the right side of the fuselage with this damage considered indicative of a runway edge takeoff that had been made in night VMC. Damage to both nose wheel tyres and to a number of runway edge lights was subsequently found. The crew stated that they had been unaware of their error.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB). Relevant data were downloaded from the aircraft FDR and CVR and available from the airport surface movement radar at a resolution greater than available to the runway controller in real time.

It was noted that the Captain had a total of 3,653 flying hours including 1,802 hours on type and was a Line Training Captain for Swiftair. The First Officer had a total of 1,510 hours which included 1,300 hours on type. No evidence was found that pilot fatigue had played any part in the event.

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