LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16 was a passenger flight which made an emergency landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport, Poland, on 1 November 2011 after its landing gear failed to extend. All 231 aboard survived without any significant injuries. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 767-300ER, was operating as LOT Polish Airlines' scheduled international service from Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, USA, to Warsaw. The preliminary report found that a hydraulic leak occurred shortly after takeoff, which resulted in a loss of all the hydraulic fluid that powered the primary landing gear system.
It was classified as an aviation accident by State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 767-35DER, registered SP-LPC, named Pozna?, serial number 28656. It was first delivered to LOT on 15 May 1997. The damage to the plane was so extensive that the airline chose not to make repairs. The aircraft was scrapped in November 2013.
Accident
LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16 was scheduled to arrive at Warsaw Chopin Airport from Newark Liberty International Airport on 1 November 2011 at 13:35 CET. Technical difficulties were detected by Captain Tadeusz Wrona within 30 minutes after takeoff from Newark. The crew indicated that the central hydraulic system had malfunctioned. The decision was made to continue to Warsaw in order to use up the heavy load of fuel needed for the transatlantic flight. The aircraft proceeded to approach as normal, but aborted when the landing gear failed to deploy.
Captain Tadeusz Wrona, a thirty-year veteran pilot with twenty years of experience on the 767, and first officer Jerzy Szwarc informed Warsaw air traffic control (ATC) that they were unable to lower the landing gear due to a hydraulic systems failure. The captain decided to circle the airport for over an hour, to consume excess fuel and to allow time for ground emergency services to prepare for the landing. Visual observation by two Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jets verified that none of the landing gear were down; attempts to lower the landing gear by alternative means failed [1].
The airport was evacuated for the arrival of the aircraft, and roads around the airport were closed to accommodate emergency services. Other flights which were due into Warsaw were diverted to Kraków, Katowice, Pozna?, ?ód? and Gda?sk or returned to their point of departure.
A total of 231 were on board, including 11 crew members.
At 14:40 CET the crew made a successful gear-up landing on Runway 33, with no injuries to anyone. The aircraft however, sustained substantial damage. All of those on board were evacuated within 90 seconds.
The airport remained closed to traffic until 4:00 CET, 3 November 2011, to enable removal of crash debris and then a final inspection of runways and aprons.
Shortly after the evacuation, a team from the Polish State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation arrived, and discovered that the C829 circuit breaker, which protects a number of systems including the alternate landing gear extension system was "popped". The C4248 breaker for the alternate landing gear remained closed.
After the plane was lifted off the runway, the C829 circuit breaker was closed, and the landing gear was extended, using the alternate system. The plane was then towed to the LOT maintenance hangar, for repairs and further investigation.
Poland's President Bronis?aw Komorowski thanked and praised the crew for their successful landing.
Investigation
The accident is currently being investigated. The preliminary report found a hydraulic leak occurred shortly after takeoff (after the landing gear and flaps were retracted). The leak was from a flexible hose in the central hydraulic system, resulting in the loss of all fluid in that system. The drop in pressure was recorded by both the EICAS and the flight data recorder.
Both the captain and the first officer held Airline Transport Pilot Licenses, accumulating over 25,000 hours of flying time between them, with over 15,000 of that being on 767 aircraft.
References
External links
- State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation
- Drugie O?wiadczenie Tymczasowe Pa?stwowej Komisji Badania Wypadków Lotniczych dotycz?ce badania wypadku lotniczego nr 1400/2011 - 31 October 2013 (Polish) (Archive)
- Second Interim Statement of the State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation on investigation into air accident No 1400/2011 - 31 October 2013 (Archive)
- Preliminary Report (English) (Archive)
- Preliminary Report (Polish) (Archive)
- [2]
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