Crash of a BAc 111-203AE in Calabar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-BAA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Calabar
MSN:
041
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
49
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The approach to Calabar Airport runway 03 was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, turbulences, clouds down to 240 metres and a visibility limited to 2,800 metres. On final, the aircraft was unstable and not properly aligned with the runway centerline. Upon touchdown, the left main gear landed on the grassy area to the left of the runway. The captain attempted to correct when the aircraft veered to the right back onto the runway and overran. It struck a ditch and came to rest 1,500 metres further, bursting into flames. A crew member was killed and 10 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The following findings were reported:
- Poor weather conditions,
- Limited visibility and low ceiling,
- The aircraft was unstable on final approach and misaligned on runway 03,
- The aircraft landed at an excessive speed,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure,
- Poor planned approach.

Crash of a BAc 111-525FT in Stockholm

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1997 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-BCM
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bucharest - Stockholm
MSN:
256
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
RO335
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12500
Captain / Total hours on type:
12000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1866
Copilot / Total hours on type:
50
Aircraft flight hours:
23901
Aircraft flight cycles:
17888
Circumstances:
Flight ROT 335, a BAC 111 coming from Bucharest, was about to land on runway 26 at Stockholm/Arlanda airport. The pilots had visual contact with the field and the landing was performed according to visual flying rules (VFR). The commander, who was pilot flying (PF), has stated the following. The approach was normal with occasional turbulence and wind gusts from the south. When the aircraft was on 8 nautical miles1 final, the air-traffic controller in the tower reported the wind 160°/13 knots. To begin with the aircraft was somewhat above the glide slope but was on the glide slope when it passed the threshold. The touchdown on the runway was in the normal touchdown zone on the left main gear and nose up. Shortly thereafter came a strong wind gust whereupon the right main gear touched down and the nose gear heavily hit the runway. The commander controlled the aircraft with rudder, reversed the engines and braked lightly. He did not notice anything special in the behavior of the aircraft at that point. When - after the speed had become so low that rudder steering was no longer possible - he reverted to nose wheel steering he noticed that it was not functioning. He continued the light wheel braking but could not prevent the aircraft from veering to the right. He then braked fully but the aircraft continued towards the right runway edge. It left the runway at a speed of around 60 knots out onto the grass field. The retardation was soft and the passengers disembarked through ordinary exit. The airport rescue service was speedily on the scene but no action was necessary. The accident occurred on 7 June 1997 at 1350 hours in position 5939N 1755E; 121 feet (37 m) above sea level.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the collapse of the nose gear as a result of overload when the aircraft touched down with its nosewheel first after two bounces. A contributing factor was shortcomings in cockpit’s CRM (Cockpit Resource Management) during the flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAc 111-525FT in Istanbul

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1995 at 1725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-BCO
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bucharest - Istanbul
MSN:
272
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
RO261
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
75
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach and landing at Istanbul-Atatürk was completed in marginal weather conditions with sleet, strong winds and turbulences. The copilot was the pilot-in-command. Upon touchdown on runway 36, the aircraft landed hard and bounced. On the second impact, the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right at a speed of 60 knots and came to rest. All 81 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The wind was gusting up to 29 knots at the time of the accident with a visibility limited to 4 km.

Crash of a BAc 111-515FB in Tamanrasset: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1994 at 0807 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
5N-IMO
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis - Tamanrasset - Lagos
MSN:
229
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Tunis to Lagos with an intermediate stop in Tamanrasset, carrying members of the Nigerian football team Iwanwanyu returning to Lagos after a matched played in Tunis for the Africa Cup. On approach to Tamanrasset-Aguenar Airport in the early morning, the crew encountered poor visibility due to haze. As he was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Following a holding pattern, the crew abandoned two other approaches and after 83 minutes, he eventually attempted a fourth landing when, on short final, the aircraft collided with approach lights then a pylon and a truck before coming to rest by the runway. Two passengers and three crew members were killed while 34 other occupants were injured, some seriously.

Crash of a BAc 111-208AL in Kaduna

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-HTA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
051
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
66
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Kaduna Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On short final, the aircraft entered a rain squall and the pilots momentarily lost visual contact with the runway lights. The aircraft descended until it struck the runway surface and bounced. Out of control, it veered off runway to the right and came to rest. All 73 occupants were rescued (among them 13 were injured) while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue the approach after he lost visual contact with the runway lights, and failed to initiate a go-around procedure. The lack of visibility due to heavy rain falls was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a BAc 111-204AF in Sokoto

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-KBA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
179
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
53
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a poor flight and approach planning, the crew landed at the old Sokoto Airport. After touchdown, the pilots realized their mistake and attempted to take off but eventually decided to initiate an emergency braking procedure due to the presence of high tension cables at the end of the runway. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 57 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Poor flight and landing planning on part of the crew who completed the landing on the wrong airport. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Erroneous actions on part of the crew,
- Poor crew decisions,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Absence of crew cross checks,
- Lack of ATC assistance.

Crash of a BAc 111-204AF in Port Harcourt

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-KBG
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
082
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
48522
Aircraft flight cycles:
70457
Circumstances:
Belly landed at Port Harcourt Airport and slid on runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 66 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. An unconfirmed report suggests that the aircraft bounced on landing. The captain then took over control of the copilot who was PIC. The flight engineer assumed the captain was initiating a go-around procedure and raised the landing gear.