Zone
Crash of a Learjet 35A in Lyon: 2 killed
Date & Time:
May 2, 2000 at 1439 LT
Registration:
G-MURI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Farnborough - Nice
MSN:
35-646
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
NEX4B
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
2113.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
850
Aircraft flight hours:
4291
Aircraft flight cycles:
3637
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Farnborough Airport at 11h22 on a charter flight to Nice with two pilots and three passengers on board, among them the F1 driver David Coulthard. At 12h22, cruising at FL390, the left engine of the aircraft suffered a failure. The crew shut down and began to descend. They declared an emergency and asked to fly to the nearest aerodrome with a runway longer than one thousand six hundred metres. Lyon-Satolas Airport, located about 62 NM away left abeam of the aircraft, was proposed. The descent with one engine shut down towards Lyon-Satolas was undertaken under radar guidance, at a high speed and with a high rate of descent. At 12h35, the pilot stabilised the aircraft at 3,000 feet, intercepted the runway 36L ILS and was cleared to land. The final was started at 233 knots according to radar data and the slow down progressive. At 12h36 min 45 s, the flaps were extended to 8°. According to the radar data, the aircraft was then at 2,400 feet, 4,4 NM from the runway threshold and at a speed of 184 knots. At 12h36 min 58 s, the landing gear was extended. At 12h37 in 03 s, the flaps were set to 20°. According to the radar data, the aircraft was then at 2,100 feet, 3,5 NM from the runway threshold at a speed of 180 knots. No malfunctions or additional problems were announced to the ATC by the crew during the final approach. At 12h38 min 08 s, the copilot told the captain that the aircraft was a little low. According to the radar data, the aircraft was then at 1,100 feet, 0,9 NM from the runway threshold at a speed of 155 knots. At 12h38 min 17 s, he repeated his warning and announced a speed 10 knots above the approach reference speed. At 12h38 min 22 s, the copilot again stated that the aircraft was a little low on the approach path and immediately afterwards asked the captain to increase the thrust. According to the radar data, the aircraft was then at 900 feet, 0,1 NM from the runway threshold at a speed of 150 knots. At 12h38 min 24 s, the captain indicated that he was losing control of the aircraft. The aircraft, over the runway threshold, banked sharply to the left, touched the ground with its wing, crashed and caught fire. Both pilots were killed while all three passengers evacuated with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The accident resulted from a loss of yaw and then roll control which appears to be due to a failure of monitor flight symmetry at the time of the thrust increase on the right engine. The hastiness exhibited by the captain, and his difficulty in coping with the stress following the engine failure, contributed to this situation.
Final Report:
Crash of a Beechcraft 1900D off Quiberon: 14 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 30, 1998 at 1558 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-GSJM
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lyon - Lorient
MSN:
UE-238
YOM:
1996
Flight number:
PRB706
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total hours on type:
1356.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
361
Aircraft flight hours:
3342
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Lyon-Satolas Airport, the crew was approaching Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Airport when he contacted ATC and requested a special clearance to cancel his IFR flight plan for a visual circuit over the Bay of Quiberon to show the 'Norway' ship (ex France) to the passengers. While cruising under VFR mode in excellent weather conditions at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft collided with a private Cessna 177 Cardinal registered F-GAJE and owned by the Aéro Club de Vannes. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Bay of Quiberon about 1,500 metres from the ship and 10 km off Quiberon. All 14 people on board the Beech 1900D as well as the pilot of the Cessna 177 were killed.
Probable cause:
The collision was due to the absence of visual detection of the other aircraft by each of the two crews in an uncontrolled Class G Airspace where collision avoidance relies exclusively on external vigilance ("See and Avoid" rule). The decision to change the flight regime and trajectory placed the crew of the Beech 1900D in an improvised and unusual flight situation with a public transport aircraft. The following contributing factors have been identified:
- The pilots, on different frequencies, were unaware of their mutual presence,
- The pilots had their attention focused on the ship 'Norway',
- The organization of the activity in the cockpit of the Beech 1900D and its ergonomics did not allow effective monitoring, particularly towards the outside of the turn,
- The dead angles of the Cessna 177 probably masked the Beech 1900D from its pilot while both aircraft were approaching each other,
- The position of the sun may have hampered the pilot of the Cessna 177,
- The Cessna 177 transponder was off, thus the aircraft could not be viewed on the ATC radar based in Lorient. As a result, he was unable to provide traffic information to the crew of the Beech 1900D.
- The pilots, on different frequencies, were unaware of their mutual presence,
- The pilots had their attention focused on the ship 'Norway',
- The organization of the activity in the cockpit of the Beech 1900D and its ergonomics did not allow effective monitoring, particularly towards the outside of the turn,
- The dead angles of the Cessna 177 probably masked the Beech 1900D from its pilot while both aircraft were approaching each other,
- The position of the sun may have hampered the pilot of the Cessna 177,
- The Cessna 177 transponder was off, thus the aircraft could not be viewed on the ATC radar based in Lorient. As a result, he was unable to provide traffic information to the crew of the Beech 1900D.
Final Report:
Crash of a Grumman G-159 Gulfstream GI in Lyon
Date & Time:
Jun 29, 1994 at 2000 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-GIIX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rouen - Lyon
MSN:
128
YOM:
1964
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Lyon-Satolas Airport, the crew realized he was not properly aligned with the runway centerline and decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Power was added on both engines but the left engine failed to respond. The aircraft lost height and struck the runway surface with its left wing, bounced, overturned and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. All 27 occupants were evacuated, among them nine were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
