Sky Lease Cargo Boeing 747-412F plane crash
Halifax, Canada
Updated on
The Boeing 747-400F operated by Sky Lease Cargo took off from Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, USA, for a cargo flight to Halifax International Airport, Canada. Four crewmembers were onboard. The aircraft landed on Halifax Airport but overran the runway and stopped in grass past the runway end. The four crew received minor injuries.
During the approach, the tower controller reported wind from 260° at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots and asked the flight if runway 14 was still acceptable. Runway 14 is a 2347m long asphalt runway and the 16 knots gusting at 21 knots wind from 260° would translate to an 8 knots gusting at 11 knots tailwind component. The flight crew confirmed and received authorization to land on runway 14.
After landing the plane was unable to stop before the end of the runway, overran the end of the runway, went down a slope and through the localizer antenna and came to a stop about 210 meters past the runway end. The plane came to a stop less than 50 meters from a fence separating the airfield from Old Guysborough Road, a public two-lane road.
The aircraft suffered substantial damage. The landing gears were ripped off, engines #2 and #3 separated, engines #1 and #4 damaged. The fuselage is severely damaged and even broken behind the wings. A fire erupted from the #2 engine that came to rest near the tail of the aircraft. However, there was no fire on the aircraft itself.
