An Aviation Safety Council (ASC) investigation has determined that inclement weather was the main cause behind an EVA Airways plane’s failure to stop before the end of a Taipei International Airport (Songshan) runway last year.
On Sept. 13 last year, a A330-300 plane flying in from Japan’s Haneda International Airport rolled off the right of the runway for about 300m before veering back onto it.
The passengers and crew were unharmed, but two taxiway lights were damaged.
The council’s report said heavy rainfall had reduced visibility during landing, which may have prevented the flight crew from operating the aircraft accurately, leading to the runway overrun.
However, the flight crew made an error by failing to abort the landing on time, causing the aircraft to land to the right of the taxiway centerline, the report said. The crew also failed to steer the plane back to the centerline after its landing gear touched the ground, it added.
The report included several suggestions to improve safety, including that EVA reinforce flight crew training, especially in regard to landings. EVA crews should beware of what procedures to follow when visibility is low, the report said.
The airline should add standardized procedures to its operations manuals to be followed during landing excursions.
The council also said the Civil Aeronautics Administration should upgrade the runway at Songshan.
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