Crash of an Airbus A340-642 in Quito

Date & Time: Nov 9, 2007 at 1706 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-JOH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madrid - Quito
MSN:
731
YOM:
2006
Flight number:
IB6463
Country:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
345
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14024
Captain / Total hours on type:
2375.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
10095
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1742
Aircraft flight hours:
8704
Aircraft flight cycles:
965
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Madrid, the crew contacted Quito Approach at 1650LT and received descent instructions in preparation for an instrument approach no. 4 (VOR QIT DME/ILS) for runway 35. During the descent the crew were notified that preceding flights had reported braking action medium to poor. The flight crew selected auto braking to 'High'. At 17:05, the crew reported the runway in sight, after which the controller stated that the wind was 170° at 4 knots, the runway was wet and reported braking action was poor. The flight was cleared to land. The pilot in command, following the procedures established by Iberia, decided to leave the ILS glide path and captured the path of the PAPI lights. The aircraft touched down 200 metres past the threshold at a 3.09g side load. The spoilers deployed automatically and main gear tyres 3 and 8 blew. The flap lever was moved involuntarily by the copilot, from the full position to position 2. The crew applied full manual braking and select reverse thrust. The Auto Brake function failed, after which the crew disconnected the antiskid braking system and continued to apply manual braking. The aircraft passed the end of runway 35, with a ground speed of 90 knots, hit the ILS localizer and stopped 232 meters further. Passengers and crew were evacuated using the slide at door 2R, thirty minutes after the aircraft stopped. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach to Quito Airport, knowing the poor runway conditions, poor weather conditions and the aircraft weight, and his failure to initiate a go-around procedure while forcing the aircraft to intercept the PAPI, causing the aircraft to be unstabilized.
Contributing factors:
- On the date of the incident, the crew did not have specific regulations and operating procedures (the briefing of the operator for the airport in Quito was inappropriate to the existent conditions).
- The fact that the crew still being experienced similar airports in Quito and had not experienced similar weather situations, circumstances that would have allowed a strategy of approximation consistent with the terms of this operation, in particular as regards:
- Calculations in flight for landing runway length,
- Minimum altitude to start the maneuver of changing the path of ILS to PAPI,
- Carrying out a very detailed briefing that allowed unwanted deviations on approach,
- The weather conditions existing at the time of landing (visibility, tail wind and moderate rain).

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Culiacán Rosales

Date & Time: Nov 5, 2007 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UBC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Culiacán Rosales – Cabo San Lucas
MSN:
208B-1046
YOM:
2004
Flight number:
CFV126
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 02, the pilot initiated a 180 turn when the aircraft stalled and crashed in an open field located one km from the airport, coming to rest upside down. All 15 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing 737-230 in Malang

Date & Time: Nov 1, 2007 at 1324 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-RIL
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jakarta – Malang
MSN:
22137/788
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
RI260
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
89
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
19357
Captain / Total hours on type:
10667.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2300
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1528
Aircraft flight hours:
57823
Circumstances:
On 1 November 2007, a Boeing Company B737-200 aircraft, registered PK-RIL, operated by PT. Mandala Airlines as flight number MDL 260, was on a scheduled passenger flight from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, to Abdurrachman Saleh Airport, Malang, East Java. The pilot in command (PIC) was the handling pilot, and the copilot was the support/monitoring pilot. There were 94 persons on board the aircraft, consisting of two pilots, three cabin crew, and 89 passengers. The aircraft landed at Malang at 1324 Western Indonesian Standard Time (06:24 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It was reported to have been raining heavily when the aircraft landed on runway 35 at Malang. The aircraft bounced twice after the initial severe hard landing, and the lower drag strut of the nose landing gear fractured, resulting in the rearwards collapse of the nose landing gear and separation of the lower nose landing gear shock strut and wheel assembly. The aircraft’s nose then contacted the runway, and the aircraft came to rest 290 metres before the departure end of runway 17. The crew subsequently reported that during the visual segment of the landing approach, they realized that the aircraft was too high with reference to the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) for runway 35. The PIC increased the aircraft’s rate of descent (ROD) to capture the PAPI. The high ROD was not arrested, and as a consequence, the severe hard landing occurred which substantially damaged the aircraft. No one of the passengers or crew was injured.
Probable cause:
The flight crew did not appear to have an awareness that the aircraft was above the desired approach path to runway 35 at Malang until they sighted the visual approach slope indication lighting system. The pilot in command continued the approach in reduced visibility and heavy rain; marginal visual meteorological conditions. Non-adherence by the flight crew to stabilized approach procedures, which resulted in the initial severe hard landing at Malang, together with the omission of a high bounced landing recovery, resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The following findings were identified:
- The PIC allowed the approach at Malang to become unstabilized and did not correct that condition.
- The PIC continued the approach in reduced visibility and heavy rain; marginal visual meteorological conditions.
- Neither pilot responded appropriately to the ground proximity warning system voice aural ‘SINK RATE’ or ‘PULL UP’ warnings that sounded during the final approach to Malang.
- The PIC did not initiate action to recover from the high bounced landing following the initial severe hard landing impact.
- The PIC did not ensure that effective crew coordination was maintained during the landing approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Panama City

Date & Time: Oct 31, 2007 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HP-1541PST
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Panama City – Bocas del Toro
MSN:
10297
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
PST980
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17806
Aircraft flight hours:
33398
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 36, while climbing to a height of 50 feet, the crew raised the landing gear when the aircraft stalled. It landed back on the runway about 380 metres from the runway end. It slid on all this distance, overran then turned to the left and came to rest in a grassy area about 60 metres past the runway end. All 13 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The stall that occurred during the initial climb was the result of the copilot's confusion in interpreting the information transmitted by the captain which led him to initiate the rotation before reaching the speed of 95 knots (V1). The crew could not obtain sufficient power from both engines because they had not activated the methanol water system in view of the existing meteorological conditions, the wet runway and the takeoff weight, which remains a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airbus A320-214 in Butuan

Date & Time: Oct 26, 2007 at 0645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C3224
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila - Butuan
MSN:
753
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
PR475
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
148
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport, the crew started the approach to Butuan Airport in good weather conditions. After landing on runway 12/30 which is 1,965 metres long, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and came to rest in a coconut grove. The cockpit was partially destroyed and both pilots were seriously injured while 32 passengers escaped with minor injuries. 120 other occupants were unhurt and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft landed too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance available.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E10A near Cubarral: 17 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 2007 at 1550 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-4055
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Villavicencio - Uribe
MSN:
90 25 21
YOM:
1991
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
5550
Captain / Total hours on type:
432.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
287
Copilot / Total hours on type:
134
Aircraft flight hours:
2435
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport at 1530LT on a flight to Uribe with 15 passengers and 2 pilots on board. En route, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the crew reported his ETA in Uribe at 1550LT. At an altitude of 11,800 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and disintegrated on impact. The wreckage was found 3 days later on Mt Páramo El Nevado, about 33 km northeast of Cubarral. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew decided to continue the flight under VFR mode in IMC conditions. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Erroneous navigation,
- Low situational awareness regarding the geographical orientation at the beginning and during the flight,
- Failure to observe the warnings of closeness with terrain for three minutes, issued by the TAWS equipment.
Final Report:

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Phuket: 90 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 2007 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-OMG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangkok - Phuket
MSN:
49183/1129
YOM:
1983
Flight number:
OG269
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
123
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
90
Captain / Total flying hours:
16752
Captain / Total hours on type:
4330.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1465
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1240
Aircraft flight hours:
65965
Aircraft flight cycles:
35498
Circumstances:
On 16 September 2007 at approximately 14:30 hours, One Two Go Airlines' McDonnell-Douglas MD-82 airplane with nationality and registration mark HS-OMG, departed on a scheduled passenger flight number OG269 from Don Mueang International Airport for Phuket International Airport with 123 passengers and 7 crew members on board. The Pilot-in-Command (PlC) seated on the left was a Pilot not Flying (PNF) / Pilot Monitoring and the Co-pilot seated on the right was a Pilot Flying (PF). The flight was en route on airways G458 at Flight Level (FL) 320 (32,000 feet) and the estimated time of arrival at Phuket International Airport was 15:50 hours. At 15:36:21, during the time that flight OG269 was approaching the Phuket International Airport, the Orient Thai Airlines flight OX2071, while vacating from Runway 27 after landed at the Phuket International Airport, reported the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) of the weather condition prior to landing that Cumulonimbus (CB) was over the airport area and there was windshear at 5 nautical miles before reaching the Instrument Landing System (ILS) station, resulted in airspeed gain and loss of 15 knots. The ATC asked flight OG269 whether they acknowledged the weather conditions reported by flight OX2071, because both flights were on the same aerodrome radio frequency (118.1 MHz). The PlC of flight OG269 acknowledged the information and extended the landing gears for landing. At 15:37:31, the ATC informed flight OG269 of surface winds from 240 degrees at 15 knots and gave clearance to land on Runway 27 with-wet runway precaution. At 15:38:27, the ATC informed flight OG269 of surface winds from 240 degrees at 30 knots and asked the flight OG269 to state its intention of landing. The flight OG269 affirmed. At 15:39:00, the flight OG269 requested for information of surface wind condition. The ATC informed a surface wind condition of 240 degrees at 40 knots and the flight OG269 acknowledged. At that instant, the Radio Altitude Aural Call-Out system automatically called out '500 feet' and the PlC called out that the airspeed was at 136 knots. At 15:39:23, the PlC ordered for more engine power and reminded the copilot that the airplane was descending below the ILS glide path. The copilot affirmed the correction. The PIC then ordered to increase engine power three more times. During that time, the airplane was at the altitude of 100 feet. At 15:39:45, the Radio Altitude Aural Call-Out system automatically called out '40 feet' and the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) called out 'sink rate - sink rate' . At 15:39:49, the copilot called out for a go-around and the PIC said 'Okay, Go Around'. At 15.39.50, the copilot called for 'flaps 15' and transferred the airplane control to the PIC. Then, the PIC told the copilot to set the autopilot airplane heading and to retract the landing gear. At 15 :40: 11, the airplane veered off and hit an embankment located in the North of Runway 27 and broke up in flames. 40 people were rescued while 90 others were killed, among them five crew members.
Probable cause:
After thorough investigation, the AAIC determined that the probable causes of accident are as follows:
1. the flight crew did not follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Stabilized Approach, Call Out, Go Around, and Emergency Situation as specified in the Airlines’ Flight Operation Manual (FOM).
2. the Take Off/ Go Around (TO/GA) switch was not pressed, resulting in the failure of increasing in airspeed and altitude during the go around. Also, there was no monitoring of the change in engine power and movement of throttle levers, especially during the emergency situation.
3. the flight crew coordination was insufficient and the flight crew had heavy workloads.
4. the weather condition changed suddenly over the airport vicinity.
5. the flight crew had accumulated stress, insufficient rest, and fatigue.
6. the transfer of aircraft control took place at a critical moment, during the go around.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-2C3 in Guadalajara

Date & Time: Sep 14, 2007 at 1929 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-MAC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cancún - Guadalajara
MSN:
21014/397
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
GMT582
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
103
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Guadalajara-Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Airport, the crew selected flaps and slats down but noticed an asymmetry. During the second approach, flaps were selected down via the alternate system. The airplane landed with the landing gear in a transit position, causing both engines to struck the ground after touchdown. After a course of few hundred metres, the aircraft came to rest, bursting into flames due to the engine friction on the ground. The fire was quickly extinguished but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. All 109 occupants evacuated safely.

Crash of a De Havilland Dash-8-Q402 in Vilnius

Date & Time: Sep 12, 2007 at 0136 LT
Operator:
Registration:
LN-RDS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Copenhagen - Palanga
MSN:
4035
YOM:
2001
Flight number:
SK2748
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7928
Captain / Total hours on type:
291.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4674
Copilot / Total hours on type:
262
Aircraft flight hours:
11366
Aircraft flight cycles:
14224
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Copenhagen-Kastrup AIrport on a flight to Palanga with 48 passengers and a crew of 4 on board. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the descent. At an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the crew selected the landing gear down. However, the right-hand main gear extended but did not lock down and the landing gear doors did not close. The approach was abandoned and the crew initiated a go-around. During the second attempt to land, the crew recycled the system but the warning remained so the decision was taken to divert to Vilnius. On approach, the crew attempted to release the undercarriage using a backup system, but the undercarriage control panel still showed an unsafe warning. The right engine was shut down and the propeller was feathered prior to landing. Upon touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest 40 metres further, some 1,150 metres pas the runway threshold. All 52 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft accident was caused by the separation of the piston rod of the extension/retraction actuator from the rod end during right hand main landing gear extension due to thread connection corrosion. The freely falling landing gear broke the apex hinge lugs of the stabilizer sections, the right hand landing gear did not lock in the extended position and collapse occurred when the aircraft was rolling after landing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Port-au-Prince

Date & Time: Sep 11, 2007 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HH-CAW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port-au-Prince - Cap Haïtien
MSN:
208B-0748
YOM:
1999
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Port-au-Prince Airport, the pilot attempted an emergency landing 10 km north of the capital city. Upon landing, the single engine aircraft overturned and came to rest upside down. It was damaged beyond repair and all 9 occupants escaped with minor injuries. It is believed that a door improperly closed was the cause of the accident. Later, the Haïti civil aviation authority decided to suspend the AOC of the operator until further notice following two accidents in 12 days.