# NTSB DCA09IA055: Airbus A330, Los Cayes, Haiti, May 22, 2009

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 21, 2009, 21:47 local (May 22, 2009, 01:47 UTC)
- Place: Los Cayes, Haiti
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Flight instrument malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/334)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 176 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 18, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74127
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA09IA055
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74127/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74127
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09IA055

## Probable cause

The final report for this incident was combined with and can be found under NTSB Investigation number, DCA09IA064.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Ice/rain protection system: pitot/static anti-ice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023030): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023030/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Flight instrument malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/334) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/334/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On May 21, 2009, at 2147 EDT, an Airbus A330-200, Brazilian registration PT-MVB, operated by TAM Airlines as flight 8091 from Miami International Airport, Florida, to Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, Brazil, experienced a loss of primary speed and altitude information while in cruise flight at FL370. Initial reports indicated that the flight crew noted an abrupt drop in outside air temperature and observed St. Elmo's Fire, followed by the loss of the Air Data Reference System, disconnections of autopilot and autothrust, and loss of primary airspeed and altitude. The flight crew continued using backup instruments, and after approximately 5 minutes, primary data was restored. The airplane remained in alternate flight law and displayed a rudder travel limit flag. The crew determined they could not restore normal law and continued the flight under the appropriate procedures. The flight landed at Sao Paulo with no further incident and there were no injuries or damage. With the concurrence of the Brazilian Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (CENIPA), the NTSB initiated an incident investigation into this event. The final report for this incident was combined with and can be found under NTSB investigation number, DCA09IA064.

## Factual narrative

On May 21, 2009, at 2147 EDT, an Airbus A330-200, Brazilian registration PT-MVB, operated by TAM Airlines as flight 8091 from Miami International Airport, Florida, to Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, Brazil, experienced a loss of primary speed and altitude information while in cruise flight at FL370. Initial reports indicated that the flight crew noted an abrupt drop in outside air temperature and observed St. Elmo's Fire, followed by the loss of the Air Data Reference System, disconnections of autopilot and autothrust, and loss of primary airspeed and altitude. The flight crew continued using backup instruments, and after approximately 5 minutes, primary data was restored. The airplane remained in alternate flight law and displayed a rudder travel limit flag. The crew determined they could not restore normal law and continued the flight under the appropriate procedures. The flight landed at Sao Paulo with no further incident and there were no injuries or damage. With the concurrence of the Brazilian Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (CENIPA), the NTSB initiated an incident investigation into this event. The final report for this incident was combined with and can be found under NTSB investigation number, DCA09IA064.

## Aircraft

- Registration: PT-MVB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A330 (200)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 238
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney PW4000 turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Operator: Tam
- Registered owner: Tam
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: KMIA, Miami, FL
- Destination: SGRU, Sao Paulo
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: Los Cayes

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 3, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74127. 6 KB in all.

- Change Notice - This case has been combined with DCA09IA064 (item 1, .PDF, 6 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346457&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Change%20Notice%20-%20This%20case%20has%20been%20combined%20with%20DCA09IA064-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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