The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States recently disclosed an investigation into an aviation incident that occurred over two months ago, on November 10, 2023.
According to The Aviation Herald, on January 12, 2024, the NTSB classified the deployment of the RAM Air Turbine (RAT) on an Airbus A319 as a serious incident.
The Critical Role of RAT in Aerial Emergencies
When all other sources fail, the RAT is an aircraft’s last resort for electricity generation. This includes the failure of generators powered by the engine, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), or the aircraft’s batteries. In this emergency electrical configuration, the RAT extends from the lower fuselage and operates like a wind turbine, using airflow to generate power.
Details of the Lufthansa A319 Incident
The aircraft involved was Lufthansa’s Airbus A319, registration D-AIBG, operating flight LH-986 from Frankfurt/Main, Germany, to Amsterdam, Netherlands. While descending towards Amsterdam, the crew declared a “Mayday” emergency, indicating the failure of both generators and the activation of the RAT, although both engines remained operational.
According to our media partner Aeroin, the generators were restored mid-flight, and the aircraft safely landed using instrument approach on runway 27 and taxied to the gate.
