Risks on Schiphol's Oostbaan persist until adjustments are made
- General
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has not yet implemented modifications to the landing systems intended to ensure that widebody aircraft meet the minimum threshold crossing height when landing on the Oostbaan (Runway 22). However, the airport has conducted a sector-wide assessment of the current risks and has developed concrete plans to implement these modifications in the future.
The Dutch Safety Board (Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid) expects that these measures will reduce the identified risks, even though they have not yet been carried out. In the meantime, however, use of the runway may still lead to increased operational risks.
This is reported by the Safety Board in the follow-up memo to the investigation “Touchdown before threshold, Airbus A330-300, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,” published on 18 July 2024. In this follow-up publication, the Safety Board evaluates the responses of the involved parties to the recommendations issued in the investigation report approximately one year after publication.
Summary of the occurrence
On 12 January 2023, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 landed 11 meters short of the runway at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Due to the premature touchdown on the Oostbaan (Runway 22), the main landing gear contacted the ground significantly before the runway threshold, striking several approach lights in the process. The aircraft sustained minor damage and no one was injured. The full report can be found on the investigation page.
