Spring A320 at Xiamen on Jun 6th 2014, runway excursion and tail strike on go around

A Spring Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration B-6851 performing flight 9C-8945 from Huaian to Xiamen (China) with 178 passengers and 6 crew, performed an ILS approach to Xiamen's runway 23 in heavy rain and gusting winds but touched down at 19:02L (11:02Z) with the right hand main gear off the right hand edge of the runway. The crew aborted the landing and initiated a go-around, the tail however struck the ground during rotation for becoming airborne again. The aircraft became airborne, climbed out and positioned for an approach to runway 05 and landed without further incident 26 minutes after going around. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage however.

The aircraft has not been seen on radar since.

China's Civil Aviation Authority stated in a preliminary report, that the aircraft had taxied to the apron. Maintenance performing a post flight inspection found grass embedded in the right hand main gear and the outboard right hand main tyre had received thread damage. Upon further examination maintenance detected scrape damage to the aircraft tail. Maintenance queried the crew about the damage, the crew reported that the visibility had deteriorated while on very short final to runway 23. The crew felt they had landed off the runway and went around. During the go-around the crew received a wind shear warning.

The CAAC reported that during the ILS approach to runway 23 there was mid to heavy level rain in gusting winds from various directions. The right hand main gear touched down about 857 meters down the runway and about 4.4 meters to the right of the right runway edge veering further to the right. The crew aborted the landing after main gear touchdown, did not lower the nose gear and initiated a go around applying TOGA about 7 seconds after main gear touchdown. About 8 seconds after applying TOGA the crew rotated the aircraft to become airborne again, the airspeed however had decayed to 97 KIAS at that time. The tail struck the ground when the aircraft rotated through 14.7 degrees, the aircraft became airborne after the right hand main gear had travelled 617 meters on the ground and was about 9.3 meters to the right of the right hand runway edge line. About 9 seconds after becoming airborne a wind shear warning activated and lasted for 16 seconds. The aircraft climbed out to safety and positioned for an approach to runway 05 which ended in a landing without further incident.

An investigation has been opened.

Metars:

ZSAM 061500Z 08002MPS BKN033 9999 SCT006 26/26 Q1004 NOSIG

ZSAM 061400Z 09003MPS BKN040 9999 SCT010 25/25 Q1004 NOSIG

ZSAM 061300Z 06003MPS BKN023 BKN060 9999 SCT010 25/25 Q1004 NOSIG

ZSAM 061200Z 8000-SHRA SCT005 05003MPS FEW023TCU BKN023 OVC050 25/25 Q1004 RESHRA NOSIG

ZSAM 061100Z 4500-SHRA SCT008 29005MPS FEW023CB BKN023 OVC050 26/26 Q1004 BECMG TL1110 2000 TSRA BKN007 BKN023 FEW023CB OVC050

ZSAM 061000Z 15002MPS 100V170 9999-RA SCT010 BKN023 OVC050 26/26 Q1003 NOSIG

ZSAM 060900Z 14003MPS BKN020 OVC046 100V160 9999 SCT013 27/25 Q1003 NOSIG

ZSAM 060800Z 11003MPS 070V150 9999-RA SCT010 BKN016 OVC046 27/25 Q1003 NOSIG

ZSAM 060700Z 13003MPS 090V160 9999-RA BKN023 OVC053 27/25 Q1003 NOSIG

ZSAM 060600Z 11002MPS 060V150 9999 FEW011 BKN023 OVC053 27/24 Q1004 NOSIG