Runway Overrun - Boeing 737-8FE, VH-VUX, Hobart Airport, Tasmania, on 24 November 2010

On 24 November 2010, a Boeing Company 737-8FE aircraft, registered VH-VUX, was being operated a scheduled passenger service from Melbourne, Victoria to Hobart, Tasmania. The crew were advised that the runway would be wet for their arrival into Hobart. During the landing on runway 12, the crew reported that the initial braking was normal, however, in the final stage of the landing, the braking was not effective despite increasing brake pressure. Both crew stated that the aircraft felt as if it was sliding or aquaplaning.  The crew reactivated the thrust reversers, and the aircraft came to a stop beyond the end of the runway in the stopway area. There was no damage to the aircraft, or the tarmac and the aircraft was turned and taxied to the terminal.

A post-incident inspection of the runway found that there was rubber build up near the runway 30 touchdown markers and portions of the runway had been resurfaced but not re-grooved.

As a result of this incident, the aircraft operator issued a flight crew communication notice modifying the take-off and landing procedures for Hobart Airport in wet conditions. The airport operator issued Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) stating that there had been reports of aquaplaning on landing in heavy rain and that the runway surface was ungrooved. In addition, they have brought forward a scheduled full resurfacing of the runway to November 2011, removed a runway surface treatment from the area around the centreline of the runway and grooved the resurfaced sections of the runway.