AAIB investigation to Airbus A319-111, G-EZBI
Incorrect takeoff performance used, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, France, 29 August 2019.
Summary:
During their initial pre-flight preparation, the flight crew chose to calculate takeoff performance based on the most limiting intersection available, Bravo 3, on Runway 04R at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. The aircraft departed from intersection Alpha 3 where the runway length available was 316 m greater than from Bravo 3. At lift-off the commander noted that the departure end of the runway was closer than he would have expected but did not perceive any other performance issues. Subsequent analysis of recorded flight data and the flight crew’s takeoff calculations indicated that both pilots had inadvertently used performance figures for a departure from intersection Quebec 3. With both pilots making the same mis-selection, the takeoff performance cross-check was invalidated and the error went undetected. The available runway length from Quebec 3 was 701 m greater than from Bravo 3.
The flight crew considered that the software user-interface and data presentation was a factor in the intersection selection error being made and subsequently missed. The investigation found that the operator was planning an update to the performance software that would place greater emphasis on a graphical rather than textual representation of runway characteristics.
The aircraft manufacturer was in the process of releasing an enhanced automatic takeoff surveillance system for the A320 family of aircraft. The enhanced system could act as an additional safety barrier for incidents of this nature.
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