On May 31, 2024, passengers aboard the Airbus A320 flying from Auckland experienced a turbulent and “frightening” landing, though fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released a report on Thursday attributing the incident to pilot error, compounded by insufficient training provided by Jetstar.
Louise Cook, the chief investigator of accidents, explained that during the flight, one of the aircraft’s three hydraulic systems malfunctioned, resulting in the loss of nosewheel steering capability.
Despite this, the crew adhered to standard operating procedures and continued the flight to Christchurch, intending to use differential braking to navigate off the runway onto a rapid exit taxiway.
The initial landing proceeded smoothly until the crew lost control of the aircraft’s direction, causing it to swerve off the taxiway, collide with an aerodrome sign, and traverse the grass before coming to a halt back on the main runway, according to Cook.
“The crew executed the landing well, and had they stopped and awaited towing, there would have been no problems,” she stated.
“However, they aimed to clear the runway for other planes, utilizing the rapid exit. During this maneuver, the pilot intended to set the thrust lever to idle but accidentally advanced it to climb and full power.”
Cook noted that the pilots were likely so focused on making the exit that they overlooked crucial indicators that the thrust lever positions were incorrect.
“This choice appeared safe and feasible to the pilots due to the lack of specific guidance on differential braking for runway exits in both Airbus documentation and Jetstar’s Flight Crew Techniques Manual,” she mentioned.
A Jetstar spokesperson indicated that the airline has since revised its guidance for flight crews.
“We have collaborated closely with the regulator and Airbus to fully comprehend the incident and have enhanced our procedures to avoid recurrence and ensure safe, resilient operations,” Jetstar stated.
TAIC reported that Airbus accepted the commission’s advice to update aircraft manuals and instructor guidelines to minimize the risk of pilots inadvertently adjusting the thrust levers while on the ground.
Airbus plans to implement these changes in April and May 2026, it was noted.
“This incident also underscores the need for maintenance engineers to thoroughly inspect new parts for potential damage before installation. In this instance, a titanium hydraulic pipe was found to be 1mm deformed, likely due to packaging damage during transit between Airbus warehouses in 2015,” the commission stated.
“The deformity went undetected before and after installation and failed after 18 months of service.”
