Crash of a BAe U-125 at Kanoya AFB: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 6, 2016 at 1435 LT
Operator:
Registration:
49-3043
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kanoya - Kanoya
MSN:
258242
YOM:
1993
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Kanoya AFB at 1315LT on a calibration flight with six people on board. After he complete a counter clockwise arc, the crew started the descent to Kanoya AFB Runway 08R. The visibility was poor due to low clouds. On approach, at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the aircraft entered clouds when the GPWS alarm sounded. Two second later, the crew deactivated the alarm and continued the approach. Ten seconds later, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed on the slope of Mt Takakuma (1,182 metres high) located 10 km north of the airbase. The wreckage was found a day later and all six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew continued the approach in poor visibility without visual contact with the environment. Misidentification of the environment on part of the crew was a contributing factor, as well as the fact that the crew deactivated the GPWS alarm and failed to initiate corrective maneuver.
