Poldercrash 2009

On a cold February morning in 2009, the quiet polder landscape north of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport was shattered. Turkish Airlines Flight 1951, a Boeing 737-800, crashed into the field. This is the site of the Poldercrash 2009 memorial. The Poldercrash 2009, as it became known, tragically claimed nine lives, including all three pilots. The aircraft, en route from Istanbul, was on final approach to runway 18R, the Polderbaan. A faulty left-hand radio altimeter gave a false reading of -8 feet. This triggered the autothrottle to reduce engine power to idle. The crew, dealing with a late glide slope intercept and increased workload, failed to notice the decreasing airspeed and increasing pitch. The stick shaker activated, warning of an impending stall. The crew’s response, however, was not in accordance with procedure. Despite attempts to recover, the aircraft struck the ground tail first, breaking into three pieces. The Poldercrash 2009 investigation revealed a chain of events. It started with a faulty instrument, compounded by pilot error and procedural issues. The crash highlighted the importance of monitoring primary flight instruments, adhering to procedures, and the crucial role of pilot training in stall recovery. It also exposed vulnerabilities in the Boeing 737’s autothrottle system.