TUI plane skids off runway at Leeds Bradford Airport amidst Storm Babet
Nosewheel failure causes TUI plane to veer off Leeds Bradford runway
A recent report has disclosed that a TUI aircraft carrying 200 passengers experienced a severe malfunction during its descent in the UK, resulting in it skidding off the runway.
The Boeing 737-8K5 landed amidst Storm Babet’s chaos, impacting Leeds Bradford Airport last October. Air investigation officials detailed that the plane veered off the runway due to difficulties in its approach, ending up on the grassy verge.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) identified the issue as a “catastrophic failure” of the plane’s nosewheel bearing, likely occurring during the “rollout” phase—the final part of landing when the aircraft moves along the runway before stopping.
TUI 737 excursion crew could have kept aircraft on Leeds runway: investigators https://t.co/twDu1dfTzf pic.twitter.com/wvAL2Zc1nm
— FlightGlobal (@FlightGlobal) October 24, 2024
Fortunately, only minor damage was reported, and none of the passengers from Corfu were injured. Passenger Malcolm Fell described the landing as “a little bit dramatic” but noted that fellow travellers remained “quite calm.”
“The plane touched down, and the pilot applied reverse thrust and brakes, but it started to aquaplane—or at least it felt that way,” Fell explained. “It seemed to speed up rather than slow down.”
He added, “My wife turned to me and said: ‘I think you better brace yourself because this is not going to stop’. Suddenly, we were on the grass at a standstill.”
The official report indicated that as the plane began to drift left, the crew felt a significant judder but did not fully use the rudder to correct the deviation. The crew’s efforts to regain control were unsuccessful, and the aircraft exited the runway at around 63mph, stopping six seconds later, 500ft beyond the taxiway on muddy ground.
The AAIB’s statement read: “After touching down at Leeds Bradford Airport in stormy weather, the aircraft began to yaw left of the runway centreline. When the pilot flying increased the right rudder input to correct the deviation, both pilots reported feeling a significant judder from the nose gear.
“This prompted the pilot flying to reduce the right rudder input and, although there were repeated brief right pedal inputs, the aircraft continued to deviate from the centreline and left the runway. The aircraft sustained minor damage and there were no injuries.”
#StormAshley brings travel chaos to #Britain as high winds cancel dozens of flights and see planes forced to abandon landings while heavy #flooding blocks roads pic.twitter.com/9vOOpjxsAb
— Hans Solo (@thandojo) October 21, 2024
The investigation found that one of the aircraft’s nosewheel bearings had failed catastrophically during the rollout at LBA, causing the juddering. However, there was no mechanical obstacle to using additional rudder and braking to prevent the runway excursion.
A Leeds Bradford airport representative stated: “Our safety and compliance team collaborated closely with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch following the incident in October last year. While supporting the AAIB, we also conducted our own internal investigation to review our emergency response processes and procedures.
“We were satisfied that the conclusions in the AAIB bulletin issued on 24 October and the outcomes related to the airport mirrored those of our own investigation.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What happened to the TUI aircraft during its descent in the UK?
The TUI aircraft skidded off the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport during its descent.
What caused the TUI aircraft to veer off the runway?
A catastrophic failure of the plane’s nosewheel bearing during the rollout phase caused it to veer off.
Were any passengers injured when the TUI plane skidded off the runway?
No, none of the 200 passengers were injured.
How did passengers react during the incident?
Passengers remained quite calm, despite the dramatic landing.
What did the AAIB conclude about the incident?
The AAIB concluded that a nosewheel bearing failure caused the incident, but additional rudder and braking could have prevented it.
