Says GTAA, TSB Failed To Provide Safety Overrun Zones

According to a lawsuit filed this week by Air France, it wasn't the pilots' decision to land during a strong thunderstorm that led to a 2005 landing accident involving one of the airline's Airbus A340s... but rather several safety faults with Runway 24-Left at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

According to the Toronto Star, Air France pins the blame for the August 2, 2005 accident on the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, NAV CANADA, and individual air traffic controllers who vectored the jet with 309 passengers and crew onboard to land during the strong thunderstorm. As ANN reported, approximately 40 passengers were injured -- 10 seriously -- when the airliner slid off the rain-slicked runway, and impacted a steep ravine off the departure end... but amazingly, no one was killed in the crash.

In its December 2007 report on the accident, Canada's Transportation Safety Board acknowledged Runway 24L at Pearson -- the newest runway at the airport -- did not have a 300-meter overrun zone that might have helped avoid much of the catastrophic damage in the accident. The Board also noted, however, the pilot chose to continue the approach and landing despite heavy rain and wind shear, that created a strong tailwind as the A340 approached the airport.

"The pilot committed to landing, as he believed that this action was safer than conducting a missed approach into the storm," TSB Lead Investigator Réal Levasseur said in December, adding the Board stopped short of pinning the blame for the crash on the pilot.

In its $180 million lawsuit, Air France contends GTAA and others failed to ensure an "adequate margin of safety for aircraft in the event of an overrun event," adding "GTAA failed to provide a safe environment for the conduct of civil air operations.

"The overrun and the consequent injuries to persons and damage to property were caused solely by the negligence of the defendants," the airline's statement of claim asserts.

The suit also cites a fatal 1978 Air Canada accident which occurred on an adjacent runway. In that case, two passengers were killed and 47 injured when their DC-9 impacted the same ravine on landing. The investigation into that crash determined the "ravine beyond the overrun area left no additional margin for error and contributed to a high casualty rate."

Air France contends Transport Canada was "negligent" in not heeding recommendations following the 1978 accident, in either creating a safety buffer zone on the existing runway, nor when it created Runway 24L, which opened in 2002.

Transport Canada contends Air France operated from Runway 24L for many years, fully aware Canadian regulations do not decree runoff areas. "Air France has continued to operate flights including those by A340 aircraft on Runway 24L since the said incident," the government adds.

Government officials point the finger squarely at the pilots, for their failure to effect a safe landing. They note the pilots chose to touch down nearly halfway down the 9,000-foot runway, instead of going around.

FMI: www.tsb.gc.ca, www.airfrance.com