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Bureau Enquêtes-Accidents Ministére de l'Equipement des Transports et du Logement - Inspection Générale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie - France |
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Preliminary Report - Translation Accident on 25 July 2000 at "La Patte d'Oie" in Gonesse (95) to the Concorde registered F-BTSC operated by Air France |
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This document is based on the initial data collected on the circumstances of the accident. The investigation is continuing. Information on some points may evolve. It will only be possible to issue a final report on the circumstances and causes of this accident when all of the investigative work has been completed. Neither the presentation of the present report nor any of the issues raised should be interpreted as indicative of the direction the investigation will take or the conclusions to which the investigation will come. In accordance with Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, with EC directive 94/56 and with Law N°99-243 of 29 March 1999, the analysis of the accident and the conclusions and safety recommendations contained in this report are intended neither to apportion blame, nor to assess individual or collective responsibility. The sole objective is to draw lessons from this occurrence which may help to prevent future accidents or incidents. In accordance with Law n° 78-753 of 17 July 1978, this document is released subject to literary and artistic copyright. Copying, distribution or the use of this document for commercial purposes is forbidden.
| AAIB | Air Accidents Investigation Branch |
| AD | Airworthiness Directive |
| ADF | Automatic Direction Finder |
| ADI | Attitude Director Indicator |
| ADP | Aéroports de Paris (Paris Airports Authority) |
| AJ | Adjustable Jet |
| AOA | Angle Of Attack |
| ASDA | Accelerated Stop Distance Available |
| ATIS | Automatic Terminal Information Service |
| BEA | Bureau Enquêtes-Accidents |
| BRS | Baggage Reconciliation System |
| CAS | Calibrated Airspeed |
| CC | Cabin Crew |
| CG | Centre of Gravity |
| CMB | Climb |
| CPEMPN | Principal flight crew medical test centre |
| CRM | Cockpit Resource Management |
| CRZ | Cruise |
| Cu | Cumulus |
| CVR | Cockpit Voice Recorder |
| EGT | Exhaust Gas Temperature |
| EIC | Equipment in Compartment |
| FC | Flight Crew |
| FD | Flight Director |
| FDAU | Flight Data Acquisition Unit |
| FDR | Flight Data Recorder |
| FE | Flight Engineer |
| FF | Fuel Flow |
| FO | First Officer |
| FOD | Foreign Object Damage |
| FQIP | Fuel Quantity Indicator Panel |
| ft | Feet |
| Gaétan | Passenger baggage registration system used by Air France |
| GEAS | General Electric Aircraft Engine Services |
| GPWS | Ground Proximity Warning System |
| HP | High Pressure |
| hPa | Hectopascal |
| HSI | Horizontal Situation Indicator |
| IDG | Integrated Drive Generator |
| IFR | Instrument Flight Rules |
| INS | Inertial Navigation System |
| kt | Knots |
| kW | Kilowatts |
| LDA | Landing Distance Available |
| LP | Low Pressure |
| METAR | Meteorological Aviation Report |
| MWS | Master warning System |
| N1 | Low pressure turbine rotation speed |
| N2 | High pressure turbine rotation speed |
| NOTAM | Notice to Airmen |
| P/N | Part Number |
| P7 | Jet exhaust pressure |
| PF | Pilot Flying |
| PFCU | Power Flight Control Unit |
| PI | Pilot Instructor |
| PNF | Pilot Not Flying |
| Psi | Pounds per Square Inch |
| QAR | Quick Access Recorder |
| QNH | Altimeter setting to obtain aerodrome elevation when on the ground |
| RFFS | Rescue and Fire Fighting Service |
| SAT | Static Air Temperature |
| SC | Stratocumulus |
| SIGMET | Significant Meteorological Message |
| TAF | Terminal Area Forecast |
| TCA | Turbine Cooling Air |
| TCAS | Traffic warning and Collision Avoidance System |
| TCU | Throttle Control Unit |
| TEMSI | Significant weather forecast chart |
| TODA | Take Off runway Distance Available |
| TOP | Transoceanic and Polar licence |
| TORA | Take Off Runway length Available |
| UTC | Universal Time Co-ordinated |
| Vmca | Minimum air control speed |
| Vmcg | Minimum ground control speed |
| VOR | VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range |
| VR | Rotation speed |
| Vz | Vertical speed |
| Vzrc | Zero rate of climb speed |
| ZFW | Zero Fuel Weight |
| Date and time | Tuesday 25 July 2000 at 14 h 44[1] |
| Aircraft | Concorde registered F-BTSC |
| Site of accident | La Patte d¹Oie in Gonesse (95) |
| Owner | Air France |
| Operator | Air France |
| Type of flight | Charter flight
Flight AFR 4590 |
| Persons on board | Flight Crew: 3 Cabin Crew: 6 Passengers: 100 |
Summary:
During takeoff from runway 26 right at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, shortly before rotation, the front right tyre of the left landing gear was damaged and pieces of the tyre were thrown against the aircraft structure. A major fire broke out under the left wing. Problems appeared shortly afterwards on engine N° 2 and for a brief period on engine N° 1. The aircraft was neither able to climb nor accelerate. The crew found that the landing gear would not retract. The aircraft maintained a speed of 200 kt and a radio altitude of 200 feet for about one minute. Engine n° 1 then stopped. The aircraft crashed onto a hotel at La Patte d¹Oie in Gonesse.
| People | Equipment | |||
| | Killed | Injured | Uninjured | |
| Crew | 9 | - | - | |
| Passengers | 100 | - | - | Destroyed |
| Third parties | 4 | 6 | - |
On Tuesday 25 July 2000 at around 14 h 50 UTC, the BEA was informed of the accident to a Concorde in the commune of Gonesse (95) after takeoff from Paris Charles de Gaulle. In accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the law of 29 March 1999 relating to technical investigation of accidents and incidents in civil aviation, a technical investigation was launched. A Principal Investigator was nominated as Investigator-in-Charge.
In accordance with the provisions of Annex 13, a British accredited representative and two investigators from the AAIB, accompanied by several experts from BAE SYSTEMS and Rolls Royce, joined the investigation as representatives of the State of Manufacture, along with German (BFU) and American (NTSB and FAA) observers. Air France, EADS and SNECMA made numerous experts available to the BEA.
The Minister of Equipment, Transport and Housing established a Commission of Inquiry, in accordance with the law of 29 March 1999. This Commission has assisted the BEA in its work. Two meetings were held in the course of which the Commission was informed of the progress of the investigation. The Commission approved the process.
The Investigator-in-Charge established seven working groups to find and collate the information necessary for the investigation. The groups worked in the following specific areas:
These groups have worked continuously since 27 July. Two plenary sessions of the working groups took place on the 3rd and 22 August to summarise the progress of the investigation.
All operations carried out at the site or on parts of the aircraft have been conducted in co-ordination with those responsible for the judicial investigation, in accordance with judicial procedures. The accident site and all parts of the aircraft are under the control of the judicial authorities. The majority of technical examinations have yet to be performed.
On 16 August, on the basis of the findings of the investigation, the BEA and its British counterpart the AAIB issued an initial safety recommendation.
The initial results from the investigation are contained in this report, which has been presented to, and approved by, the Commission of Inquiry.