Reported runway excursion, RAAF Richmond, New South Wales, UR-BXQ, IL76 TD

On 22 November 2006 at 0817 Eastern Summer Time, an Ilyushin Design Bureau IL-76TD (IL-76) aircraft, registered UR-BXQ, was reported to have entered the runway 28 stop way before becoming airborne while departing from runway 28 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Richmond, NSW. The aircraft was departing on a charter flight to Manila, the Philippines with 10 crew members on board.

A number of witnesses at various locations on the airport reported that the main wheels of the IL-76 did not lift off the ground until after the aircraft entered the stop way. However, the pilot in command of the IL-76 stated that the aircraft became airborne at about 250 m before the end of the runway.

From the available witness and flight crew reports, and the physical and recorded evidence, the investigation was unable to determine whether the aircraft entered the runway 28 stop way. The investigation could not reconcile the discrepancy between the recollection of events provided by the witnesses to the occurrence, and that of the pilot in command.