Germany’s BFU has published interim findings on a Lufthansa Airbus A380 that touched down 19 metres before runway 26L at Munich Airport during a thunderstorm in August. The aircraft, D-AIML, operating flight LH459 from San Francisco, landed with a vertical acceleration of 2.1 g, damaging seven tyres and three runway lights. Lufthansa has introduced a temporary change to FLS approach procedures while the investigation continues.
The ILS approach to runway 26L was unavailable under a NOTAM, so the crew used an RNP approach with FMS Landing System guidance. The published minimum was 1,810 feet above mean sea level, or 340 feet above ground, with required visibility of 800 metres. The crew estimated cockpit visibility at 500 metres or less but continued after seeing the approach lights.
The first officer disconnected the autopilot shortly afterwards and continued manually. The aircraft descended below the intended flight path, and the captain warned two seconds before touchdown that it was too low. The crew had set 1,015 hPa, while an ATIS issued after landing gave 1,014 hPa. Because FLS vertical guidance is barometrically referenced, the difference could shift the flight path by about 30 feet.
Lufthansa now requires crews operating A380s, A350s and suitably equipped A320s to disconnect the flight director and autoflight system from the published minimum during FLS approaches. The A380 taxied to the apron under its own power. The BFU has not yet determined the causes; a final report is expected within about a year of the incident.