Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Swearingen SA227 Metro III

MSN:

63 48430

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed upon landing at Hanoi-Nội Bài Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Kettwig: 21 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1988 at 0758 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

D-CABB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hanover - Düsseldorf

MSN:

AC-500

YOM:

1982

Flight number:

NS108

Location:

Kettwig

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2473

Captain / Total hours on type:

277.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2544

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1344

Aircraft flight hours:

9184

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Hanover Airport at 0715LT on a schedule service to Düsseldorf Airport, carrying 19 passengers and a crew of two. Following an uneventful flight at FL140, the crew started the descent at 0739LT. After being cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, the crew was informed about thunderstorm activity in the area and ATC informed the crew about a possible alternate route to avoid the area. This offer was denied by the crew who continued the descent. While flying in thunderstorm activity, the aircraft became unstable due to turbulences and lightnings strikes near the aircraft. After the failure of the electrical system, the crew lost control of the airplane that entered a dive, partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in an open field located about 2 km north of Kettwig, near the airport of Essen-Mülheim. All 21 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the combination of the followings:
- The flight crew had continued into an area in which the occurrence of electrical discharge was to be expected, although avoiding the area would have been possible,
- The total electricity supply failed due to a lightning strike in significant instrument flight conditions, causing the failure of the cockpit- and instrument lighting and making it impossible to use the flaps and stabilizer trim,
- The plane had entered a largely uncontrolled flight after the power failure,
- The aircraft became overloaded during the uncontrolled flight aircraft during and disintegrated.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew did not agree on the flight path in the area of the thunderstorm,
- The crew were not prepared for a lightning strike,
- The crew possibly became physically and mentally impaired for a short time after the lightning strike,
- The crew could not understand each other for a short time after a short power failure because they wore headsets,
- When the lightning struck, the plane was in an unstabilized flight condition with nose trimmed down and flaps half way down,
- The crew was not able to restore power, probably because of the damage in the electrical wiring,
- The crew did not have sufficient means for orientation in order to transfer the plane back from a predominantly uncontrolled flight to controlled flight.

Crash of a Convair CV-580 in Durango

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1988 at 2032 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-580

Operator:

Registration:

N5808

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Denver - Durango

MSN:

348

YOM:

1966

Location:

Durango-La Plata County

Colorado

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7342

Captain / Total hours on type:

2858.00

Aircraft flight hours:

53781

Circumstances:

After making an IFR approach, the pilot made a go-around because he was blinded by the reflection of the landing/taxi lights against the falling snow. The pilot landed the aircraft after the second approach. The pilot said he sensed the aircraft drifting to the left and he tried to correct, but it collided with a snow bank. The investigation disclosed no evidence of aircraft hydroplaning or skidding. Airport management elected to delay plowing the runway for fear of it freezing over. Passengers claimed there was 2-3 inches of snow on top of a 3/4- inch layer of slush. Further investigation revealed that the runway lights were of various intensities because some unapproved light bulbs of different amperage were used. The runway was not equipped with centerline lighting. The painted white centerline stripe was covered by snow and slush.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: on ground/water collision with object
Phase of operation: landing - roll
Findings
1. (f) airport facilities, runway marking - foreign substance covered
2. (c) airport snow removal - inadequate - airport personnel
3. (f) airport facilities, runway/landing area condition - snow covered
4. (f) airport facilities, runway/landing area condition - slush covered
5. (c) proper alignment - not maintained - pilot in command
6. Terrain condition - snowbank
7. (f) airport facilities, centerline lights - unavailable
8. (f) airport facilities, runway edge lights - unapproved
9. (f) light condition - dark night

Final Report:

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Nizhnevartovsk: 27 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1988 at 1850 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87549

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante

Schedule:

Nizhnevartovsk - Tyumen - Bugulma

MSN:

9 53 14 42

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

SU29674

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

13978

Aircraft flight cycles:

14766

Circumstances:

Liftoff was completed at a speed of 220 km/h after a course of 1,700 meters. Immediately after takeoff, at a height of 2 meters, engines n°2 and 3 lost approximately 20% of power. Few seconds later, the engine n°1 also suffered a power reduction of about 10%. The aircraft then rolled to the right to an angle of 60°, lost height and crashed in a field located 1,800 meters past the runway end, bursting into flames. Four passengers were seriously injured while 27 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of power on all three engines could not be determined with certainty, also due to the absence of evidences, efficient recording systems and testimony from the crew who were killed.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirante in Vilhena

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

PT-GJQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Swearingen SA227 Metro III

MSN:

110-084

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Vilhena Airport, the crew was completing a last turn to join the approach path when the aircraft stalled and crashed about 2 km short of runway threshold. All 13 occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft's speed was too low during the last sharp turn, causing the aircraft to stall and crash.

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Durango: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1988 at 1920 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N68TC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Denver - Durango

MSN:

AC-457

YOM:

1981

Flight number:

VJ2286

Location:

Durango-La Plata County

Colorado

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4184

Captain / Total hours on type:

3028.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

8500

Copilot / Total hours on type:

305

Aircraft flight hours:

11895

Circumstances:

The aircraft was operating as Continental Express flight 2286. During the approach in IFR conditions, the aircraft went below the minimum descent altitude then struck the terrain at 7,180 feet msl. Examination of the aircraft did not disclose any pre-impact failures or system malfunctions. The evidence indicated that the copilot was flying the airplane during the approach. Evaluation of the radar data showed an excessive rate of descent before the collision with terrain. Postmortem toxicological examination showed that the captain had used cocaine prior to this flight. The safety board concluded that this use had adversely affected his ability to monitor the unstabilized approach flown by the copilot. Records of both crewmembers revealed prior traffic violations and accidents, and, in the case of the captain, a previous aircraft accident. Evaluation of the weather conditions indicated that a 10 to 15 knot tailwind condition existed throughout the approach.

Probable cause:

The first officer's flying and the captain's ineffective monitoring of an unstabilized approach, which resulted in a descent below the published descent profile. Contributing to the accident was the captain's performance resulting from his use of cocaine before the accident.

Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander in Lyudao: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Registration:

B-11125

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: