Germany’s BFU has published preliminary findings on a serious incident in which a Lufthansa Airbus A380 touched down about 20 metres before runway 26L at Munich Airport. The aircraft, D-AIML, was operating flight LH459 from San Francisco on 17 August when it damaged seven tyres and three runway lights. It rolled out under its own power, and passengers disembarked normally.
The landing took place during a thunderstorm, with heavy rain and poor visibility. The runway’s ILS was unavailable while being renewed, so the crew flew an RNP approach using Airbus’s FMS Landing System. The BFU found that the aircraft descended substantially below the intended approach path. A 1 hPa altimeter-setting error can shift the calculated vertical path by about nine metres.
The crew continued below an approach minimum of about 340 feet above ground after seeing the approach lights, despite estimating visibility at 500 metres or less. Reported visibility at touchdown was 800 metres, with a runway visual range of 900 metres. The pilots did not see the PAPI lights, which provide vertical-position guidance.
The copilot was flying during a requalification flight after about eight months away from flying. The captain was monitoring, while a third pilot was present without an assigned task. After the runway lighting became visible, the copilot disconnected the autopilot and continued manually. Flight-recorder data showed the aircraft’s nose remained below the flight director’s commanded attitude as the A380 continued to lose height.
The captain recognised the excessive height loss at about 10 metres above ground. The aircraft touched down two seconds later with a recorded load factor of 2.1 g. Lufthansa introduced a precautionary procedure two days after the incident requiring crews flying FLS approaches in A380, A350 and suitably equipped A320 aircraft to disconnect the autopilot and flight director at minimum and rely primarily on external visual references until the issue is resolved with Airbus.
Airbus operating guidance reportedly permits the flight director to remain engaged below minimum if pilots continue following its indications. The BFU has not assigned final causes, and its investigation remains open. A final report is expected under European Union rules within roughly one year of the incident.