The Sky Lease Cargo Boeing 747-400 Freighter that overran a Halifax runway on 7 November was attempting to land with an apparent slight tailwind during rainy conditions, according to preliminary details released by accident investigators.
Pilots of the 747-400F, registration N908AR, were landing at 05:05 local time on Halifax Stanfield International airport's runway 14, which has a southeast heading of 143°, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The aircraft was operating Sky Lease flight 4854 from Chicago.
It was raining at the time of the accident and the wind was blowing from the west at 250°, gusting to 18kt (33km/h). The cloud ceiling was 1,200ft and visibility was 12.9km (8 miles), the TSB says.
The aircraft, which carried only four crew and no cargo, overran Runway 14 and came to rest 210m (689ft) off the end of the runway.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
During the overrun, the 747-400F struck a localiser antenna, its gear collapsed and two of four Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines separated from the wings. The other two engines suffered substantial damage, the TSB says.
"A small post-impact fire originated… from the detached No. 2 engine, which was lodged under the tail of the aircraft," the TSB says.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
The four crewmembers suffered minor injuries.
US-based Sky Lease has offices in Miami and Greensboro, North Carolina, according to the company's website and filings with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
