Hard landing - Darwin Airport, Northern Territory, on 7 February 2008, VH-NXE, Boeing 717-200

Preliminary report released 27 March 2008

On 7 February 2008, a Boeing Company 717200 aircraft, registered VH-NXE, was being operated on a scheduled passenger service from Cairns, Qld, via Nhulunbuy (Gove) to Darwin, NT, with six crew and 88 passengers. During an ILS approach to runway 29 at Darwin Airport, the aircraft touched down on the runway at a high rate of descent which resulted in a hard landing. The aircraft then bounced before settling onto the runway. The crew completed the landing rollout and taxied the aircraft to the terminal without further incident.

What happened

On 7 February 2008, a Boeing Company 717-200 aircraft, registered VH-NXE, was being operated on a scheduled passenger service from Cairns, Queensland via Nhulunbuy (Gove) to Darwin, Northern Territory with six crew and 88 passengers.

The flight crew were cleared by air traffic control to fly a visual approach to runway 29 at Darwin Airport and elected to follow the instrument landing system to the runway. The aircraft was above the glideslope for the majority of its approach and temporarily exceeded the operator's stabilised approach criteria shortly before landing. The aircraft sustained a hard landing resulting in structural damage. The flight crew completed the landing roll and taxied the aircraft to the terminal without further incident. There were no reported injuries; however, the extent of the damage to the aircraft led the ATSB to classify the occurrence as an accident. The investigation identified a number of relevant safety factors, including the flight crew's actions and control inputs, the aircraft operator's stabilised approach criteria and operational documentation, and the visual cues associated with runway 11/29 at Darwin Airport.

As a result of this occurrence, the aircraft operator implemented a number of safety actions in relation to enhancing their stabilised approach criteria and pilot training, the monitoring of third-party training providers, and the amendment of relevant operational documentation. In addition, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) undertook to prioritise the completion of proposed legislation in relation to third party training providers. In June 2013, CASA advised the ATSB that CASR Part 141 and 142 have now been made and compliance with these regulations will address the safety issue.