Air Canada Flight 624

Air Canada Flight 624

C-FTJP, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in April 2008

C-FTJP, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in April 2008
Accident summary
Date March 29, 2015
Summary Collision with terrain
Site Halifax International Airport, Halifax, Canada
44°52'2.08"N 63°31'33.79"W
Passengers 133
Crew 5
Injuries (non-fatal) 23
Fatalities 0
Survivors 138 (all)
Aircraft type Airbus A320-211
Operator Air Canada
Registration C-FTJP
Flight origin Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada
Destination Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Halifax, Canada

Air Canada Flight 624 (AC624 / ACA624)[1][2][3] was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Toronto to Halifax. During heavy snow and poor visibility at 00:43 ADT (03:43 UTC) on March 29, 2015, the Airbus A320-211 performing the flight landed short of the runway and was severely damaged. The accident left the airport without electric power; it was consequently closed for a period of time, but has since reopened. Twenty-three people were injured.

On 2 April 2015, Air Canada sent payments of CDN$5000 to all passengers involved.[4] A class action lawsuit has been filed in relation to this incident.[5]

Accident

Air Canada Flight 624 departed from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) bound for Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). It was carrying 133 passengers and five crew. The Airbus A320 operating the flight, registration C-FTJP, impacted the ground 335 metres (1,099 ft) short of the threshold of runway 05,[6] smashing through an ILS-LOC antenna array causing the landing gear to separate from the aircraft, and hitting a power line that cut power to the airport, leaving the airport without electric power for about 90 minutes.[7] The aircraft then climbed an embankment up to the runway level, skidded on its belly and stopped 335 metres (1,099 ft) past the threshold.[6]

The aircraft was extensively damaged, with the loss of all three landing gears and port engine. The wings and tailplane were also damaged. Twenty-three passengers were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.[6] Both pilots were amongst those taken to hospital. All but one of those taken to hospital were released the same day.[8] The weather at the time of the accident was described as "stormy". The loss of power to the airport may have been due to the aircraft clipping transmission lines before the hitting the runway.[9] Electricity was restored to the airport by 02:12 ADT.[7]

Aircraft

The aircraft was an Airbus A320-211, equipped with two CFM56-5A1 engines. Its serial number was 214 and it first flew on July 10, 1991. It was owned by GECAS and leased to Air Canada. As a result of the accident, the aircraft was written off.[10]

Investigation

The Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the accident.[11]

The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) of France is participating in the investigation as it is representing the state of design of the aircraft. Three BEA investigators and two technical advisers from Airbus went to Canada to participate in the investigation.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Air Canada AC624 touched down 335 metres short of runway, TSB says". CBC News. 29 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Air Canada Flight AC624: Toronto to Halifax - AC624 Air Canada Flight". Airportia.com. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Full flight information and flight history for Air Canada aircraft C-FTJP". Flightradar24 AB. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Air Canada Flight 624 passengers receiving $5K cheques from airline; Lawyer Ray Wagner calls it 'a gratuity' and says $5K payments don't change airline's liability, CBC News, April 2, 2015.
  5. ↑ AC 624 crash: MacGillivray Law to file class action lawsuit; A second lawyer, Ray Wagner, says his firm is considering a class action lawsuit as well, CBC News, March 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Simon, Hradecky (March 29, 2015). "Accident: Air Canada A320 at Halifax on Mar 29th 2015, touched down short of runway". The Aviaton Herald. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Air Canada AC624 slides off runway in Halifax, 23 sent to hospital". CBC. March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Air Canada Flight 624 crashes into power line upon landing in Halifax". Global News (Shaw Media). March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Airbus A320 Air Canada plane crashes on runway at Halifax airport". The Independent. March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  10. ↑ "C-FTJP Air Canada Airbus A320-211 – cn 233". Planespotters.net.
  11. ↑ Doucette, Keith. "23 treated in hospital after Air Canada plane slides off Halifax runway". Citynews. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Flight AC 624, Airbus A320, registered C-FTJP - Halifax Stanfield International Airport (Canada), 29 March 2015" (Archive). Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile. Retrieved on April 2, 2015.

External links