AIR TRANSPORTATION SAFETY INVESTIGATION REPORT A18A0088 LANDING WITH PARTIALLY EXTENDED LANDING GEAR PAL Airlines Ltd. Bombardier DHC-8-315, C-FPAE Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador 15 November 2018 II | TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OF CANADA ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION REPORT This report is the result of an investigation into a class 3 occurrence. For more information, see the Occurrence Classification Policy at www.tsb.gc.ca The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigated this occurrence for the purpose of advancing transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. 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Materials under the copyright of another party Some of the content in this investigation report (notably images on which a source other than the TSB is named) is subject to the copyright of another party and is protected under the Copyright Act and international agreements. For information concerning copyright ownership and restrictions, please contact the TSB. Citation Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Air Transportation Safety Investigation Report A18A0088 (released 20 July 2020). Transportation Safety Board of Canada Place du Centre 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th floor Gatineau QC K1A 1K8 819-994-3741 1-800-387-3557 www.tsb.gc.ca [email protected] © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, 2020 Air transportation safety investigation report A18A0088 Cat. No. TU3-10/18-0088E-PDF ISBN: 978-0-660-35513-9 This report is available on the website of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada at www.tsb.gc.ca Le présent rapport est également disponible en français. AIR TRANSPORTATION SAFETY INVESTIGATION REPORT A18A0088 | III Table of contents 1.0 Factual information ................................................................................................. 2 1.1 History of the flight .................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Injuries to persons ...................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Damage to aircraft ..................................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Other damage .............................................................................................................................................. 7 1.5 Personnel information .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.6 Aircraft information .................................................................................................................................... 8 1.6.1 Landing gear ................................................................................................................................ 8 1.6.2 Fuel quantity indication .........................................................................................................15 1.6.3 Emergency locator transmitter ...........................................................................................15 1.6.4 Aircraft airspeed limitations .................................................................................................15 1.7 Meteorological information .................................................................................................................16 1.8 Aids to navigation ....................................................................................................................................17 1.9 Communications .......................................................................................................................................17 1.10 Aerodrome information .........................................................................................................................17 1.11 Flight recorders ..........................................................................................................................................17 1.11.1 Previous TSB recommendation on recording capacity of cockpit voice recorders ......................................................................................................................................18 1.11.2 Smartphone connection to cockpit voice recorder ....................................................19 1.12 Wreckage and impact information ....................................................................................................19 1.13 Medical and pathological information .............................................................................................19 1.14 Fire ..................................................................................................................................................................19 1.15 Survival aspects .........................................................................................................................................19 1.16 Tests and research ....................................................................................................................................19 1.16.1 TSB laboratory reports ...........................................................................................................19 1.17 Organizational and management information .............................................................................19 1.18 Additional information ...........................................................................................................................20 1.18.1 Previous occurrence involving partially extended nose landing gear ................20 1.18.2 Portable electronic devices ..................................................................................................20 1.18.3 Fuel quantity ..............................................................................................................................23 1.18.4 Daily inspection ........................................................................................................................24 1.18.5 Pre-flight check .........................................................................................................................24 1.18.6 Checklists .....................................................................................................................................25 1.18.7 Crew resource management................................................................................................27 1.18.8 Plan continuation bias ............................................................................................................28 1.18.9 Decision making .......................................................................................................................29 1.19 Useful or effective investigation techniques ..................................................................................29 2.0 Analysis ................................................................................................................... 30 2.1 Nose landing gear shock strut ............................................................................................................30 2.2 Crew resource management ................................................................................................................31 2.3 Flight endurance and delay to divert ................................................................................................31 2.4 Aircraft airspeed limitation exceedances ........................................................................................32 IV | TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OF CANADA 2.5 Pre-flight check ..........................................................................................................................................32 2.6 Cockpit voice recorder ............................................................................................................................33 3.0 Findings ................................................................................................................... 34 3.1 Findings as to causes and contributing factors ............................................................................34 3.2 Findings as to risk .....................................................................................................................................34 3.3 Other findings ............................................................................................................................................35 4.0 Safety action ..........................................................................................................