Crash of a BAc 111-402AP in Sokoto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1991 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AOW
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Kano
MSN:
094
YOM:
1967
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
35860
Aircraft flight cycles:
39057
Circumstances:
En route from Lagos to Kano, the crew was informed that a landing at Kano Airport was impossible due to poor weather conditions. The crew diverted to Sokoto but weather was also poor over there so ATC instructed the crew to follow a holding pattern as the airport was closed to traffic. After few dozen minutes, the crew informed ATC about fuel shortage, reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft landed in an open field located 6 km east from Sokoto Airport, lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen meters before coming to rest. Four passengers were killed, 24 people were injured and 25 others escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a BAc 111-320AZ in Port Harcourt

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1989 at 1905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-AOT
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lagos - Port Harcourt
MSN:
133
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
OKJ307
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
88
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
42575
Circumstances:
Okada Air Flight OKJ307 originated from Lagos (LOS), at about 17:10 hours UTC en-route to Port-Harcourt (PHC). By 17:40 hours, at FL250, the crew established contact with Port Harcourt Tower and was cleared to the "PR" Radio Beacon. The 1700 hours weather report was passed onto the crew with the assurance not to expect any delay for an ILS approach to runway 21. At 75 nm from Port Harcourt, the aircraft was cleared down to FL90 and the crew reviewed their approach briefings. The First Officer was still flying when the airplane was further cleared to 2000 feet with the instructions to report when established on the localizer. At 700 feet, the Commander had the field-in-sight but the flying pilot had not. Then the Commander took over control from the First Officer. The captain requested the tower to increase approach lights intensity because of drizzling rain. The BAC 111 passed an area of heavy downpour. It entered a high sink rate and made a hard landing. The airplane bounced and made the second touchdown on its nose-wheel. The right nose wheel shattered instantaneously while the second nose wheel fractured at the hub. It rolled for about 90 metres and crumbled under the weight of the aircraft. When both wheels of the nose gear had broken away, the wheel axle made contact with runway to cut grooves onto the runway surface for about 25 metres before the nose strut finally gave way. The aircraft now scooped forward on the nose fuselage section and continued off the runway on to the left shoulder. On the shoulder, the aircraft ran into the wide trench which was covered up with loose soil and the impact severed off the right main gear from the attachment point. The aircraft eventually came to a stop 735 meters after touchdown.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident is the poor handling of the controls at the critical movement of final approach and landing phases, probably due to the sudden loss of azimuth in the heavy downpour of rain. The contributory factor to the accident is the excavation and improper refilling of the outrageous trenches of wide dimensions along the length of runway 03/21.

Crash of a BAc 111-516FP in Manila: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1989 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C1193
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zamboanga - Manila
MSN:
231
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
PR124
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
93
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On approach to Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds and heavy rain falls. On final, the crew was informed by ATC he was too high on the glide and it would preferable to initiate a go-around. The captain continued the approach and the touchdown was made too far down a wet runway 06. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, went through a concrete wall, lost its undercarriage and came to rest on a motorway, hitting several vehicles. A passenger died as well as eight people on the ground. All other occupants on board the airplane were rescued, among them 87 were injured as well as 19 people on the ground.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who continued the approach with an unstable aircraft above the glide, causing the aircraft to land too far down the runway. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The landing distance available after touchdown was insufficient due to a late landing,
- The braking action was poor because the runway surface was wet,
- The visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure despite caution from ATC,
- The crew failed to take the appropriate corrective actions in a timely manner.

Crash of a BAc 111-527FK in Tacloban

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C1182
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila – Tacloban
MSN:
246
YOM:
1974
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
70
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing on runway 36 at Tacloban Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in the sea. All 75 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a BAc 111-529FR off Buenos Aires: 31 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1981 at 1053 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-LOX
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Miguel de Tucumán - Buenos Aires
MSN:
212
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
AU901
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Aircraft flight hours:
21729
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from San Miguel de Tucumán, the crew started the descent to Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport. At 1035LT the Tower controller cleared the flight to descend to 750 metres to the San Fernando VOR and cleared the flight for a direct approach to runway 13 from the VOR. At 1040LT the flight reported over the OP VOR and was cleared to land. The wind had shifted from 6 knots at 60° to 12 knots at 030°. Visibility was reducing. At 1042LT the crew reported the runway in sight and obtained the current weather information, which included heavy rainfall, wind 360 degrees at 10 knots. The pilots lost sight of the runway and decided to abort the approach. The One-Eleven continued South to the Quilmes (ILM) NDB. The Tower controller cleared the flight to hold over the ILM beacon at 900 metres. Because of Cumulonimbus clouds over the NDB, the crew requested a holding pattern over the Río de la Plata at 600 metres. At 10:52 they were cleared for another straight in approach to runway 31. Shortly afterwards the pilots lost control of the plane, which crashed into the river. Just 55-65% of the wreckage was recovered; both FDR and CVR were not found after 42 days of searching. All 31 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control of the aircraft and impact with the water by an error of appreciation by the pilot in assessing the meteorological conditions on crossing through a zone of influence of an extremely violent cumulonimbus.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAc 111-203AE in Rochester

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1978 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1550
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Boston - Rochester - Montreal
MSN:
44
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
AL453
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
73
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
13461
Captain / Total hours on type:
7008.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8746
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4687
Aircraft flight hours:
33693
Aircraft flight cycles:
48215
Circumstances:
The pilot-in-command adopted a wrong approach configuration and passed over the runway 28 threshold at an excessive speed of 184 knots (61 knots above the Vref) in a nose down attitude. The nose gear landed first at a speed of 163 knots (40-45 knots above normal touchdown speed) 2,540 feet past the runway threshold (runway 28 is 5,500 feet long). Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck a drainage ditch, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 728 past the runway end. All 77 occupants were evacuated safely, one of them was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
The captain's lack of awareness of airspeed, vertical speed, and aircraft performance throughout an ILS approach and landing in visual meteorological conditions which resulted in his landing the aircraft at an excessively high speed and with insufficient runway remaining for stopping the aircraft, but with sufficient aircraft performance capability to reject the landing well after touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the first officer's failure to provide required callouts which might have alerted the captain to the airspeed and sink rate deviations. The Safety Board was unable to determine the reasons for the captain's lack of awareness or the first officer's failure to provide required callouts.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAc 111-420EL near San Carlos de Bariloche: 46 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1977 at 0104 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-JGY
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - San Carlos de Bariloche
MSN:
155
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
AU009
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Captain / Total flying hours:
11918
Captain / Total hours on type:
3587.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
12347
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1691
Aircraft flight hours:
21272
Aircraft flight cycles:
22228
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a charter flight and departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport at 2253LT bound for San Carlos de Bariloche. While on a night ILS approach to runway 28, the crew encountered technical problems with the ILS reception and the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, the crew started the descent prematurely with a rate of descent of 2,200 feet per minute instead of the required 750 feet per minute. This caused the aircraft to descend below the minimum descent altitude until it collided with ground about 21 km east of the airport. All five crew members and 41 passengers were killed while 33 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the collision of the aircraft with the ground during the final approach to Bariloche runway after an improper and premature descent which was below safety limits. The accident can be attributed to a procedural error by the crew during the final approach in that they abandoned the ILS procedure, an action strongly and unduly influenced by the interruption of the VOR signal and also probably by the state of mind of the pilot-in-command.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAc 111-520FN in Campinas

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1977 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SDS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vitória – Rio de Janeiro – Campinas
MSN:
236
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
TR203
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Campinas-Viracopos Airport was completed in heavy rain falls. After touchdown on runway 32, a tire burst. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a muddy ground about 360 metres further. All 43 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Ground fire of a BAc 111-527FK in Zamboanga: 13 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1976 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C1161
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Davao City - Manila
MSN:
213
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
PR116
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
82
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
On 21 May 1976, while completing flight PR116 from Davao City to Manila, the airplane was hijacked by six passengers who forced the pilot to divert to Zamboanga. At Zamboanga Airport, the hijackers demanded a ransom of US$ 375,000 and a plane for Libya. Few hostages (women and children) were released the second day. On May 23, security forces (Police and Army) decided to put an end to the hostage situation. Shots were exchanged between police forces and hijackers and few grenades exploded in the cabin. Ten passengers and three hijackers were killed while 23 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Caught fire after few grenades exploded in the cabin following a hijacking on May 21.

Crash of a BAc 111-401AK in South Lake Tahoe

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1975 at 0956 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N711ST
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
South Lake Tahoe - Denver
MSN:
58
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6191
Captain / Total hours on type:
1014.00
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a charter flight from South Lake Tahoe to Denver, carrying customers of the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. The takeoff was initiated in bad weather conditions with low clouds, visibility limited to 200 meters, heavy snow falls and an obscured sky. During the takeoff roll, after a course of 1,610 meters, the left main gear struck a snow berm. Directional control was lost and the airplane veered off runway to the left. The nose gear collapsed and the right wing was partially torn off before the airplane came to rest 66 meters to the left of the runway. All 44 occupants were evacuated, two passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial takeoff after the pilot-in-command initiated flight in adverse weather conditions and failed to maintain directional control. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Misused or failed to use flaps,
- Inadequate snow removal from airport personnel,
- Snow on runway,
- Low ceiling,
- Snow falls,
- Blowing snow,
- Attempted takeoff from partially cleared runway in low visibility due to heavy snow,
- Hit snow berm and lost control.
Final Report: