A320, vicinity Perpignan France, 2008

A320, vicinity Perpignan France, 2008

Summary

On 27 November 2008, the crew of an XL Airways A320 on an airworthiness function flight following aircraft repainting lost control of the aircraft after fail to take the action necessary to recover from a full stall which had resulted from their continued airspeed reduction during a low speed handling test when Stall Protection System (SPS) activation did nor occur at the likely airspeed because two of the three angle of attack sensors were blocked by ice formed by water ingress during preparation for the repainting. This condition rendered angle of attack protection in normal law inoperative.

Description

On 27 November 2008, an Airbus A320-200 was being operated by XL Airways Germany on a non revenue flight from Perpignan to Frankfurt during which it was planned to carry out airworthiness system testing in the vicinity of the departure aerodrome before routing to Germany. When it was at 3000 ft in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) before setting out en route, the flight crew attempted a low level check of the angle of attack protection in normal control law during which they lost control of the aircraft which crashed into the sea and was destroyed, killing all 7 occupants.

Investigation

An Investigation into the Accident was carried out by the French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA). It was established that the flight was being conducted as part the procedures for validation of the airworthiness of the aircraft prior to hand back to the owner, Air New Zealand, the following day at the end of a period of dry lease. The aircraft had been ferried to Perpignan three weeks earlier for maintenance and painting work and the responsible MRO, EAS Industries, had issued a Certificate of Release to service shortly before the accident flight had commenced.

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