2007-07-17
TAM Airlines
Flight JJ3054
Departure
Salgado Filho International Airport, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Destination
Congonhas Airport, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Causation Breakdown
Recurrence Likelihood Today
Low
New crew training explicitly covers thrust lever configuration verification on final approach. Runway safety areas at Congonhas have been improved. Brazil's regulatory framework has been substantially strengthened.
Summary
TAM Flight 3054 overran Congonhas Airport's short runway at high speed after a thrust lever was left in the climb position, preventing deceleration. The aircraft struck a building adjacent to the airport, causing a massive fire. It remains the deadliest aviation accident in Brazilian and South American history. The crash exposed serious regulatory deficiencies in Brazil's aviation oversight and led to a complete overhaul of the country's civil aviation authority.
Cause & Investigation
Determined cause
Runway overrun — thrust lever misconfiguration
One thrust lever was left in the climb position rather than idle during landing, preventing the spoilers from deploying and causing asymmetric thrust. The aircraft could not decelerate on the short, grooved wet runway. The A320 overran at speed, crossed a busy road, and crashed into a TAM Express warehouse and adjacent fuel station. 187 aboard and 12 on the ground were killed.
Investigation body
Centro de Investigacao e Prevencao de Acidentes Aeronauticos (CENIPA), Brazil.
Timeline & Safety Improvements
Flight JJ3054 disaster
Airbus A320-233 operating for TAM Airlines. 199 fatalities, 0 survivors.
Formal investigation opened
Conducted by: Centro de Investigacao e Prevencao de Acidentes Aeronauticos (CENIPA), Brazil.
Cause determined: Runway overrun — thrust lever misconfiguration
One thrust lever was left in the climb position rather than idle during landing, preventing the spoilers from deploying and causing asymmetric thrust. The aircraft could not decelerate on the short, grooved wet runway. The A320 overran at speed, crossed a busy road, and crashed into a TAM Express warehouse and adjacent fuel station. 187 aboard and 12 on the ground were killed.
Improvement implemented
TAM and Airbus issued mandatory crew training updates on thrust lever configuration for landing.
Improvement implemented
Brazil's aviation regulator (ANAC) was restructured and its powers significantly expanded.
Improvement implemented
Congonhas Airport's runway was extended and safety areas improved.
Improvement implemented
Runway End Safety Area (RESA) standards in Brazil were aligned with ICAO recommendations.