Investigation Summary
Shortly after takeoff at 02:10 local time, the flight crew noticed a loss of hydraulic fluid in the left system, followed by the right system. The crew reported the hydraulic fault to air traffic control within minutes of departure, leading them to abort the climb at approximately FL200 and return to Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The loss of hydraulic pressure significantly degraded the aircraft's braking and control systems, including the spoilers and thrust reversers. During the landing roll on runway 06, the crew 'pumped' the brakes, which inadvertently bled off the remaining pressure in the main brake accumulator. Additionally, the crew elected to land with flaps at 20 degrees rather than the full landing configuration, resulting in a higher touchdown speed. The aircraft failed to stop on the runway, overran into soft mud and sand, and struck the airport perimeter fence, which caused the right main landing gear to collapse and the number 2 engine to pivot upward.
Final Conclusions
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) concluded in its final report (AAIIU: 3/1/22/3) that the primary cause was the total failure of both hydraulic systems due to poor maintenance and quality control. Contributing factors included the flight crew's failure to use the available accumulator brake after losing main brake pressure, the decision to land with a reduced flap setting (20 degrees), and a 'lackadaisical' management attitude toward maintenance recommendations at Fly Jamaica Airways. The investigation noted that FDR data showed a trend of hydraulic issues in the six flights preceding the accident that were not effectively resolved.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Basil Ferguson, age 58. Joined Fly Jamaica Airways in 2018.
First Officer
Keone Bryan, age 33. Joined Fly Jamaica Airways in 2017.
Systems & Failure Modes
Hydraulic System
The aircraft suffered a total failure of both left and right hydraulic systems, which are critical for operating spoilers, thrust reversers, and main brakes.
Braking System
The crew depleted the main brake pressure by 'pumping' the pedals; they failed to utilize the emergency accumulator brake which remained available.
Flap System
The crew used a Flaps 20 setting for landing instead of a standard landing configuration, contributing to a higher ground speed that the degraded braking system could not overcome.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 19-year-old Boeing 757-200 with 43,420 hours and 13 minutes of airframe time.
- 02FDR data indicated hydraulic system difficulties were present during the six flights prior to the accident.
- 03The right-hand main landing gear was sheared off during the runway excursion.
- 04A class action lawsuit was settled in 2024 for up to $5.55 million CAD.
- 05The airline ceased operations less than five months after the accident.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Maintenance Quality Control
The investigation recommended strengthening quality assurance and quality control to ensure hydraulic leakages and FDR-indicated trends are addressed before flight.