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December 27, 2007

NTSB: Plane 'porpoised' after landing at Green Airport

The US Airways Express flight that went off the runway at T.F. Green Airport this month did so after it touched down hard and "porpoised," according to a preliminary synopsis issued byThe National Transportation Safety Board.

The brief report, now posted in the NTSB's accident query database, is labeled as preliminary information and subject to change.

The synopsis describes the incident, in which none of the 31 passengers and 3 crew members aboard the Bombardier CRJ-200, this way:

"Initial information indicates that the airplane touched down hard at approximately 1000-1200 feet from the threshold of runway 5. The airplane porpoised after touchdown and exited the left side of the runway.

"Fiberglass parts consistent with the main gear door were found nearby broken runway edge lights about 2500 feet from the threshold. At approximately 3000 feet from the threshold the left main gear entered the snow and grass area, and by 3200 feet, both main gear had exited the runway.

"The airplane came to a stop on a magnetic heading of approximately 320 degrees at about 3700 feet from the threshold. Runway 5 is 7,166 feet long by 150 feet wide, and is a CAT II instrument runway.

"The left main gear collapsed, the drag brace or trunnion was seen fractured, and the wheel punctured the flap and left upper wing skin. Wing tip damage was also observed. There was no fuel spill."

Porpoising occurs when a plane cannot maintain a level flight path and goes up and down like a porpoise diving in and out of the water. When striking the ground, it can mean an uncontrolled, or series of uncontrolled, bounces.

Passengers had told The Providence Journal that the plane seemed to hit the runway quickly and hard after coming out of thick clouds at dusk on Sunday, Dec. 16.

Brown University Prof. Thom Jones, who watched from his seat in front of the left wing, said, “I can’t tell you the force when we hit the ground. It felt like we were in an elevator and we dropped four floors.”

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 12:02 PM | Permalink

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M. Roy Sherman II | December 27, 2007 3:44 PM link

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