What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Summary: flight crew was unable to determine crosswind or tailwind component but failed to execute a go around believing they were not exceeding limits or capabilities of the aircraft.
The investigation of this incident has revealed the following.
The flight landed on runway 16R in Denver during rapidly changing wind conditions. This resulted in a tail wind during the landing that exceeded company aircraft limitations. A hot brake situation occurred after the landing primarily due to the amount of differential braking required to maintain aircraft control during the landing rollout.
During the aircraft approach to landing the tower controller was surprised by the wind switch and subsequently reported the winds to the flight crew on final approach approximately one minute 50 seconds before landing.
The crew incorrectly interpreted these tower reported winds as crosswinds. The flight crew, thinking they were landing with a crosswind only, continued the approach and subsequent landing. They did not understand the crosswind or tailwind components which may have exceeded the company limitations for the aircraft.
The crew stated they did not know they landed with a tailwind until they were informed at a latter time.
The compass airlines chief pilot office has taken the following actions in response.
Both pilots received remedial training on the following subjects on 17 July, 2015.
Aircraft performance
Aircraft limitations
Situational awareness
Crew resource management
Both pilots prepared a de-identified report on the event to be published
In the safety newsletter to raise awareness with the entire pilot group as to the hazards this flight crew encountered.
As the FAA filed it
SUMMARY: FLIGHT CREW WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CROSSWIND OR TAILWIND COMPONENT BUT FAILED TO EXECUTE A GO AROUND BELIEVING THEY WERE NOT EXCEEDING LIMITS OR CAPABILITIES OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT HAS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING.
THE FLIGHT LANDED ON RUNWAY 16R IN DENVER DURING RAPIDLY CHANGING WIND CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN A TAIL WIND DURING THE LANDING THAT EXCEEDED COMPANY AIRCRAFT LIMITATIONS. A HOT BRAKE SITUATION OCCURRED AFTER THE LANDING PRIMARILY DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT.
DURING THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH TO LANDING THE TOWER CONTROLLER WAS SURPRISED BY THE WIND SWITCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED THE WINDS TO THE FLIGHT CREW ON FINAL APPROACH APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE 50 SECONDS BEFORE LANDING.
THE CREW INCORRECTLY INTERPRETED THESE TOWER REPORTED WINDS AS CROSSWINDS. THE FLIGHT CREW, THINKING THEY WERE LANDING WITH A CROSSWIND ONLY, CONTINUED THE APPROACH AND SUBSEQUENT LANDING. THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE CROSSWIND OR TAILWIND COMPONENTS WHICH MAY HAVE EXCEEDED THE COMPANY LIMITATIONS FOR THE AIRCRAFT.
THE CREW STATED THEY DID NOT KNOW THEY LANDED WITH A TAILWIND UNTIL THEY WERE INFORMED AT A LATTER TIME.
THE COMPASS AIRLINES CHIEF PILOT OFFICE HAS TAKEN THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS IN RESPONSE.
BOTH PILOTS RECEIVED REMEDIAL TRAINING ON THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS ON 17 JULY, 2015.
AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE
AIRCRAFT LIMITATIONS
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
BOTH PILOTS PREPARED A DE-IDENTIFIED REPORT ON THE EVENT TO BE PUBLISHED
IN THE SAFETY NEWSLETTER TO RAISE AWARENESS WITH THE ENTIRE PILOT GROUP AS TO THE HAZARDS THIS FLIGHT CREW ENCOUNTERED.
Other reports on N200NN · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.