Atlantic Airways Flight 670 - Official Investigation

Official Investigation

The initial findings of October 10, 2006, show that the spoilers failed to engage. Evidence from pilots and technical findings shows that the spoilers failed to reduce lift and thus reduced braking capacity. In addition water on the runway also reduced braking capacity. The plane did not have ground contact when the captain tried to release the flaps. The air brakes seem to have engaged properly.

The voice and flight data recorders contain information that confirms statements given by the pilot and eyewitnesses, that the spoilers failed to engage on touch-down at the short runway in Stord, Norway. Norwegian air-crash investigator Birger Andreas Bull explains that 30 minutes of the voice recordings could be heard, 1 hour of data from the day before could be saved from the flight data recorder, but only 12 seconds of the approach and 3 seconds right before the crash were recoverable. Bull said that even though it sounds like little information, it contains significant data about course, speed, motor settings and spoilers, among other technical information.

On October 25, 2007, Havarikommisjonen (Norwegian Accident Investigation Board) released a preliminary report. According to the report, burning fuel in the cabin was the main reason three passengers and one crew member died and six others were badly injured. All six spoilers failed during landing, but it remains unknown why this happened. During landing, the rubber on the wheels "boiled"; pieces of the wheel rubber was found along the runway. It is believed that this may have happened as a result of the failed spoilers. The pilot did not receive information that the runway was wet and it was therefore assumed it was dry. The weight of the airplane was within the allowed limit when landing on a dry runway, but was around 500 kg (1100 lb) too heavy for a wet runway. It is unknown what role this played in the accident. It is not known when the final report will be finished.