ASN Aircraft accident Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 JA462A Fukue Airport (FUJ)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Friday 29 November 2013
Time:09:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic DH8D model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8
Operator:ANA Wings
Registration: JA462A
MSN: 4445
First flight: 2013
Total airframe hrs:811
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 36
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 41
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:20 km (12.5 mls) E of Fukue Airport (FUJ) (   Japan)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF), Japan
Destination airport:Fukue Airport (FUJ/RJFE), Japan
Flightnumber:NH4915
Narrative:
ANA Flight NH4915, operated by ANA Wings, sustained damage in a lightning strike event near Fukue, Japan. There were no injuries.
During the weather briefing prior to departure, the captain and the first officer noted that there was a wintry pressure pattern, a trough accompanied by cold air would pass through western Japan during the morning, there was no specific information indicating the possibility of lightning on the flight planned route of the aircraft.
The DHC-8-400Q turboprop aircraft departed Fukuoka Airport, Japan at 09:03 hours local time on a flight to Fukue Airport. The captain was Pilot Flying.
While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 12,000 ft, heading for Fukue Airport, the captain and the first officer visually observed white clouds with a top height of 11,000 ft, on its course. When the aircraft began to descend at around 09:24 in order to approach the airport, the observed clouds were not so thick as could be suspected to cause turbulence or lightning but were displayed on the weather radar display of the aircraft in a green color, indicating an area with weak rainfall. At around 09:30, while descending through the clouds at 5300 ft, the captain and the first officer observed a strong flash of light coming from the left fore side of the cockpit and heard a loud "bang" immediately after that.
Afterwards, the captain and the first officer carried out checks to determine if there were any abnormalities. Although a wind noise was heard from the nose direction, no other abnormalities were identified.
On the final approach to the airport, the aircraft exited the clouds, and landed at the airport at 09:37.
After landing, the captain, the first officer and the mechanic carried out inspections on the aircraft, and consequently, the following were revealed:
- Five dents occurred on the aft side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose,
- Six rivet heads on the upper left access panel on the nose were burned, and
- The aft latch of the upper right access panel on the nose, as well as the fore and aft latches of the upper left access panel on the nose were opened.
The Company inspected the details of the damage of the aircraft, and confirmed that deformations had also occurred on the internal structure supporting the rear side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSES: "In the accident, it is somewhat likely that the aircraft sustained damage on the aft side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose and on the portions of the internal structure supporting the outer skin because it was subjected to a powerful shockwave generated by the discharge of lightning while making a landing approach."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: JTSB Japant
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Accident number: AA2015-4
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Lightningstrike
Normal landing

Sources:
» JTSB

METAR Weather report:
00:08 UTC / 09:08 local time:
RJFE 290008Z 28004G19KT 210V350 9000 SHRA FEW015 SCT025 BKN040 06/05 Q1020 RMK 1CU015 4CU025 6SC040 A3012=

00:28 UTC / 09:28 local time:
RJFE 290028Z 28012KT 250V320 9999 SHRASN FEW015 SCT025 BKN030 06/03 Q1020 RMK 1CU015 4CU025 6CU030 A3013=

00:42 UTC / 09:42 local time:
RJFE 290042Z 26008KT 230V300 9999 FEW015 SCT025 06/04 Q1020 RMK 2CU015 4CU025 A3013=

23:40 UTC / 08:40 local time:
RJFE 282340Z 33005KT 280V010 9999 SHRASN FEW015 SCT025 BKN030 06/04 Q1019 RMK 1CU015 3CU025 6CU030 A3011=


Photos

photo of Bombardier-DHC-8-402Q-Dash-8-JA462A
accident date: 29-11-2013
type: Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8
registration: JA462A
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Fukuoka Airport to Fukue Airport as the crow flies is 181 km (113 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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