Created Thursday, Apr 10th 2025 14:05Z, last updated Thursday, Apr 10th 2025 14:05Z
An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZGY performing flight
U2-8213 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Corfu (Greece) with 174 passengers and 6 crew, was on final approach to Corfu's runway 34 when on short final the aircraft became unstable prompting the captain to take control and initiate a balked landing. Upon realising that the first officer had already deployed the thrust reversers the captain rejected the balked landing, the aircraft slowed to a halt about 340 meters/1100 feet before the runway end.
On Apr 10th 2025 the AAIB released their final bulletin concluding the probable causes of the serious incident were:
After a stabilised approach, a protracted flare resulted in the aircraft touching down around the end of the TDZ. Each pilot had a different appreciation of where the touchdown occurred, leading to startle and surprise for both parties when the other’s actions were not as expected. While this confusion introduced hesitation and uncertainty into the decision-making process, the pilots’ mental models re-aligned when the lack of perceivable acceleration caused them each to question the viability of continuing with the go-around. Almost contemporaneously both pilots called “stop” while initiating maximum braking and the aircraft came to a full stop within the runway length remaining ahead.
The AAIB reported that the Hellenic State Investigation Authority delegated the investigation to the AAIB and summarized the sequence of events:
Following a stable approach flown by the co-pilot, the aircraft drifted high on short finals leading to a deeper than expected landing. The commander took control and applied full power to initiate a baulked landing go-around before realising the co-pilot had engaged reverse thrust when the mainwheels touched down. The Airbus A320 Flight Crew Techniques Manual (FCTM) directs pilots ‘must not initiate a go-around after the selection of thrust reversers.’ Having unwittingly commenced a go-around after reverse thrust selection, the commander experienced startle and surprise. This led to hesitation in deciding whether to continue or reject the go-around. During this period of startle and surprise the commander cycled the thrust levers between full power (toga), maximum reverse thrust (rev max) and back to toga before finally reselecting rev max and maximum manual braking to reject the go-around.
The aircraft came to a halt approximately 340 m before the end of the runway
Related Flight:
U28213,
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