"We could still make it?"

Last fall, an Airbus A320 of Air Berlin crashed on the island of Sylt. The first investigation report shows what went on in the Cockpit.

As the pale Northern German weather would not have been bad enough, by the passengers of Air Berlin-flight AB6880 lived last fall when landing on the island of Sylt is also anxious seconds. Your Airbus A320 überschoss the runway and remained in the Grass stuck. The images of the disaster had become almost symbolic beam of force – a month later, the airline ceased flight operations.

Air Berlin exists no longer, an interim report of the German investigation authority, the Federal Agency for flight accident investigation, aaib is now the first insights about what is in the incident of 30. September 2017 in the Cockpit has played. Unlike wanted, had to get from Düsseldorf upcoming A320 on this day due to low-hanging clouds on runway 32.

Rain water on the track

This is the only with instrument landing system on the small island airport. But the pilots they had to fly with a tail wind. For the Crew it was a particularly tricky: The track for braking becomes longer. Was compounded this by rain water on the track.

After the pilot checked with the help of your Tablet computer, whether made under these severe conditions a landing is still possible, the 61-year-old captain as Pilot flying in for a landing. For the 2120 meters long rail has been calculated in the Cockpit of a 1990 meters long braking distance. However, the Airbus floated beyond the touchdown zone, where he was supposed to land.

"Nah"

"Come on, get down," on said the with 17,000 hours very experienced Pilot of the plane finally. But it was too late. "We create this?" of the 35 asked a few seconds later,-year-old co-pilot. As a response he got a Short "No".

With 81 kilometres per hour, the A320 of Air Berlin swept over the threshold of the runway and stayed on after about 80 meters. All passengers and crew members were unharmed get out through the normal passenger stairs, although at first a Sinking in of the 55-ton Airbus was feared. The 8-year-old Airbus with the registration D-COLLECTION also remained virtually undamaged and a few weeks later, his service at Niki.

Pilot and air traffic controller were surprised

To the investigators of the BFU, the captain said later, despite the late touchdown sure have been coming in a timely manner. When braking, he noted according to his Perception of a delay. Also the air traffic controller in Sylt wondered why the plane didn't want to come to a stop.

Posted by Jack at .