Date: 27th October 2022
Location: Near Asunción, Paraguay
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200, registration CC-BAZ
Operator: LATAM Airlines
Flight Number: LA-1325
Route: Santiago (Chile) to Asunción (Paraguay)
Occupants: 48 (passengers and crew)
Injuries: None reported
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Summary of Events
On 27th October 2022, LATAM Airlines Flight LA-1325, an Airbus A320-200, suffered severe storm damage and a dual engine flameout while on approach to Asunción’s Runway 20. The flight, which originated in Santiago, Chile, initially performed a go-around at 2,400 feet MSL due to adverse weather conditions.
After diverting to Foz de Iguacu, Brazil, for a safe landing and a brief ground stop of approximately 3 hours, the crew re-attempted the flight to Asunción. During the second approach, the aircraft inadvertently entered a severe thunderstorm, encountering intense turbulence and hail, leading to extensive damage and a temporary loss of power to both engines.
The crew successfully restored power to Engine #1 and conducted an emergency landing at Asunción with one engine operative, degraded flight control systems, and severely damaged windscreens. All 48 occupants disembarked safely.
Aircraft Details
• Type: Airbus A320-200
• Registration: CC-BAZ
• Engines: 2x CFM56
• Configuration: Passenger aircraft
• Operator: LATAM Airlines
The Airbus A320-200 is equipped with advanced avionics, redundant systems, and robust engine designs capable of handling adverse weather conditions within certified limits.
Sequence of Events
1. First Approach:
• The crew initiated a go-around at 2,400 feet MSL due to adverse weather at Asunción.
• The aircraft diverted to Foz de Iguacu and landed safely.
2. Return Flight to Asunción:
• After 3 hours on the ground, the crew departed Foz de Iguacu for Asunción.
• On approach, the aircraft encountered a severe thunderstorm, experiencing hail impacts and intense turbulence.
3. Dual Engine Flameout:
• Both engines flamed out, causing a loss of electrical power and an unreliable airspeed indication.
• The crew initiated the APU to restore electrical power.
4. Engine Relight Attempts:
• The crew initially performed multiple simultaneous engine relight attempts with thrust levers set to TOGA.
• The ENG1 relight was successful only after the thrust levers were returned to IDLE, and the crew adhered to AOM (Aircraft Operating Manual) procedures.
5. Landing:
• The crew executed a single-engine landing with ALTERNATE flight control law and unreliable airspeed indications.
• Visibility was severely compromised due to damaged windshields caused by hail.
Aircraft Damage
• Radome Disintegration: Airflow disruption impacted air data probes, causing unreliable airspeed readings.
• Windshield Damage: Both cockpit windscreens sustained extensive cracking from hail impacts.
• Engine Damage:
• Engine #2 suffered significant damage, preventing a restart.
• Engine #1 successfully relit after multiple failed attempts.
Initial Findings
1. Weather Avoidance Failure:
• Despite radar scans and deviation attempts, the aircraft inadvertently entered a storm cell at night, exacerbating the crew’s situational awareness challenges.
2. Extreme Weather Conditions:
• Hail and water ingestion exceeded engine certification thresholds, leading to dual engine flameout.
3. Relight Procedures:
• Initial relight failures occurred because both engines were attempted simultaneously with thrust levers in TOGA.
• The successful ENG1 relight occurred only after proper adherence to the ALL ENG FAIL QRH procedure, setting the levers to IDLE.
4. Altitude Loss:
• The aircraft descended from 24,000 feet to 9,100 feet during the 8 minutes taken to restore Engine #1.
Safety Risks
1. Weather Penetration:
• Severe storms exceeding operational thresholds can lead to engine flameouts and compromised systems.
2. Procedural Compliance:
• Failure to strictly adhere to engine restart protocols can prolong recovery efforts during critical situations.
3. Airspeed Reliability:
• Hail damage to air data sensors caused unreliable speed indications, degrading flight control to ALTERNATE law.
Recommendations
1. Enhanced Weather Avoidance:
• Reinforce pilot training on weather radar interpretation and deviation strategies in severe convective environments.
• Develop procedures for storm avoidance during night operations.
2. Engine Restart Protocols:
• Emphasise strict adherence to the QRH for engine relight attempts, including thrust lever positioning and ventilation periods.
3. Aircraft Systems Resilience:
• Review engine design limitations for hail and water ingestion to identify potential enhancements.
4. Crew Decision-Making:
• Improve CRM (Crew Resource Management) to enhance situational awareness and decision-making in deteriorating weather conditions.
Safety Lessons
This accident highlights the critical importance of:
• Effective storm avoidance through weather radar interpretation and real-time decision-making.
• Adhering to emergency procedures during engine relight scenarios.
• Understanding the limitations of aircraft systems under extreme weather conditions.
The flight crew’s perseverance and eventual compliance with operational procedures ensured a safe outcome despite the challenges posed by severe turbulence, hail damage, and multiple system failures.
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Our investigation reports are based on all the evidence and facts we have at the time of writing and posting. We apologise if any details are missed or are not fully accurate.
