Investigators say an incident last year that saw a jet operated by Sunwing Airlines Inc. strike a 36-centimetre-high light beyond the runway and fly low for four kilometres carried potentially “catastrophic” consequences after a pilot typed in the wrong temperature.
A report by the U.K.'s Air Accidents Investigation Branch says the Boeing Co. 737 lifted off at the “extreme end” of a runway in Belfast after the autopilot determined the takeoff speed based on a temperature of -52 C, rather than 16 C.
The report says the aircraft, which took off with 185 passengers en route to the Greek island of Corfu from Belfast International Airport on July 21, 2017, avoided a crash and “multiple fatalities” largely because of the low terrain and lack of obstacles surrounding the airport.
Investigators noted the onboard software was incapable of alerting the flight crew of the temperature error, though updated versions would have caught it.
The report Wednesday recommends airlines update their software - available at “nominal cost” - and that Boeing notify all operators of the 737 of the incident as well as “previous similar occurrences.”
Sunwing says it has already implemented software and training updates, and it suspended both pilots from flying duties until the preliminary investigation ended. They underwent further training and Transport Canada re-qualification and have returned to full duty.
