Scheduled Revenue Flight

The single-engine turbine Otter on amphibious floats departed Triumph Bay, British Columbia, at 1634 Pacific daylight saving time (PDT) with one pilot and nine passengers on board for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight to Campbell River. At 19:01:59 the pilot called Campbell River Flight Service Station (FSS) and reported that he was seven nautical miles (nm) northwest of the airport, inbound for Campbell River. Radar data from Comox indicate that, when this call was made, the aircraft was actually 11 nm northwest of Campbell River, just south of the Narrows (see map, Appendix A). At 19:02:40, the pilot was given the 1900 PDT Campbell River weather observation, which was as follows: ceiling 300 feet overcast and visibility two miles in light rain and fog. The pilot requested a special VFR (SVFR) clearance to enter the Campbell River control zone. Clearance for SVFR was delayed by Comox air traffic control (ATC) until an instrument flight rules (IFR) aircraft on approach to Campbell River had landed. At 19:03:54, the IFR aircraft reported breaking clouds at 900 feet above sea level (asl), which would be approximately 550 feet above ground level, on the ILS approach to runway 11 at Campbell River (airport elevation is 346 feet). This information was acknowledged by the turbine Otter pilot. The IFR aircraft landed at 1904, and the turbine Otter was issued an SVFR clearance at 19:04:45. Radar data indicate that, at that time, the aircraft was about one mile northwest of Tyee Spit, a frequently used, alternate landing site (water) for company aircraft when weather conditions preclude landing at Campbell River airport. Radar data indicate that, at 1906, after passing by Tyee Spit, the aircraft turned southbound and flew directly toward the airport. At about 2 1/2 miles from the airport, at 19:07:40, the aircraft turned right to a heading of approximately 310/ magnetic and flew in that general direction for about two minutes. The aircraft was on a track that was approximately parallel to the extended runway centre line, tracking outbound from the airport with the localizer and the Campbell River (YBL) non-directional beacon (NDB) to the left. The aircraft passed abeam the YBL NDB, which serves as the final approach fix (FAF) for the ILS approach to runway 11, and continued outbound. At 19:09:40, at about three miles outside the beacon, the aircraft turned left to a southerly heading toward the localizer and the YBL NDB. At 19:10:08, the pilot radioed that he was seven miles northwest; this was the last transmission received from the aircraft. At 19:10:25, radar contact was lost. The aircraft crashed into the northwest side of a 1,047-foot mountain at about the 860-foot level, in straight-and-level flight on a heading of 183/ magnetic. The pilot and seven of the passengers received fatal injuries. The two remaining passengers received serious injuries. The accident occurred at 1910 PDT during the hours of official daylight, at latitude 50/01'N, longitude 125/22'W. Official sunset in Campbell River was at 1908, and night was at 1940 PDT.

The crew initiated the descent to Mörön Airport in marginal weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 12 km from the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while 42 other occupants were killed.

Flight MH2133 A Fokker 27 mark 050 bearing registration 9M-MGH was a scheduled domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, Sabah. The departure from Kota Kinabalu was delayed by approximately 30 minutes due to late arrival of the aircraft operated by a different set of flight crew from Labuan. The flight took off from Kota Kinabalu at 0419 hrs on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan via Airway W 423 direct to Tawau Very Omni Range (VOR) at flight level (FL) 170 with 53 persons on board. The departure out of Kota Kinabalu was uneventful and the weather en-route was insignificant. At 0442 hrs the flight established radio contact with Tawau Tower “MH 2133 we are maintaining FL 170, TMA 40, VTW 0505, presently at 94 DME VTW”. The controller then passed the weather for Tawau which was, “surface wind calm, visibility more than 10 km, rain north to north east, scattered 1600 feet and scattered 2700 feet, broken at 14000 feet, Temperature 30 degree C and QNH 1009 mb, Runway 17”. At 0443 hrs another aircraft call sign TSE 809 (a Cessna 206) flying along the same route as MH2133 but at 9500ft established radio contact with Tawau Tower, TSE 809 then reported that the flight was 65 DME from Tawau VOR. This was immediately followed by Tawau Tower asking MH2133 to report position from Tawau VOR which MH 2133 replied “57 DME and requested descent”. The controller then cleared MH 2133 to descend to 10500 feet. At this point in time there was also another aircraft MH2135 (a Boeing 737) heading towards Tawau cruising at FL 230 and cleared by the TOWER to descent to FL 180. MH 2135 was also notified by the TOWER of the Expected Approach Time (EAT) of 0530 hrs. At 0457 hrs TSE 809 reported that the flight was 44 DME from Tawau VOR. On hearing this transmission, MH 2133 requested a lower descend clearance, as it was 30 DME from Tawau VOR. It must be noted that at this juncture, MH 2133 was ahead of TSE 809 but at a higher altitude. The controller then asked TSE 809 whether there was any objection for MH2133 to descent through its level and become number One (1). Despite the fact that TSE 809 had no objection for MH 2133 to become number One (1), MH 2133 was asked by the controller to still maintain 10500 feet. At 0458:23 hrs, MH 2133 asked “MH 2133 confirm maintain 10500 feet?”. TOWER then replied “Affirm maintain 10500 number 2 in traffic”. At 0458:36 hrs MH 2133 again asked “MH 2133, 26 DME confirm we are still number 2?” TOWER then replied- “Station calling…. say again - MH 2133 then repeated “2133 Maam, and are 25 DME maintain 10500, confirm we are number 2?”. TOWER – responded “That’s affirm 2133, Expected Approach Time 0520 hrs”. At 0459:05 hrs MH2133 asked TSE 809 to check position and whether there would be any objection for the aircraft to descend through its level. TSE 809 replied that they had no objection and MH 2133 was subsequently cleared to descend to 7000 feet. The descent into Tawau by MH 2133 from the cruising altitude of 10500 feet was initiated at about 21 DME. The flight crew discussed the descent technique they were going to use and were aware of all their action. At 0501:15 hrs, as the flight reported leaving 9000 feet and passing 16 DME, the flight crew advised the controller that they had the airfield visual. MH2133 was then cleared for visual approach runway 17. At 0502:48 hrs, MH 2133 reported passing 3500 feet. The aircraft was then configured for landing where landing gears were selected down and flaps set at 25 degrees. The aircraft speed was still fast and since it was also high on the approach, the commander assured the co-pilot “Runway is long so no problem Eh”. On passing 2000 feet and on short final, the copilot reminded the commander “speed, speed check, speed check Ah”. The rate of descent was in excess of 3000 feet per minute and its pitch angle was around minus 13 degrees. The excessive rate of descent triggered the aircraft Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) sink rate and pull up warnings. The commander ignored these warnings and insisted that he should continue with approach for a landing. The aircraft first touched down on the runway at 0505 hrs. Its first tyre marks (nose wheel) on the runway was at approximately 3400 ft from the threshold. It then bounced and at 4500 ft point, its left main wheel made a light contact with the runway surface. It subsequently bounced up again and its main wheels made a firm contact at 4800 ft point, thus leaving only 800 ft of runway remaining. The aircraft continued onto the grass verge, momentarily left the ground and hopped over the runway perimeter fence. It subsequently crashed at 571 feet from the end of the runway at almost right angle to the runway. There were a number of explosions followed by a fire. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

On final approach to Jalalabad, both engines failed simultaneously. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located few km short of runway 13. Three passengers were killed.

While approaching La Macarena Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to rain falls and fog. Unable to establish a visual contact with the airport, the crew initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land was also abandoned. During a third attempt, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft collided with a hill located about 8 km from the airport and came to rest upside down. A passenger was seriously injured while 21 other occupants were killed. Few days later, the only survivor died from his injuries.

Atlantic Southeast Airline Flight 529 was climbing through 18,000 feet, when a blade from the left propeller separated. This resulted in distortion of the left engine nacelle, excessive drag, loss of wing lift, and reduced directional control. The degraded performance resulted in a forced landing. While landing, the airplane passed through trees, impacted the ground, and was further damaged by post impact fire. An exam of the left propeller revealed the blade had failed due to a fatigue crack that originated from multiple corrosion pits in the taper bore surface of the blade spar. The crack had propagated toward the outside of the blade and around both sides of the taper bore. Due to 2 previous blade failures (separations), a borescope inspection procedure had been developed by Hamilton Standard to inspect returned blades (that had rejectable ultrasonic indications) for evidence of cracks, pits and corrosion. The accident blade was one of 490 rejected blades that had been sent to Hamilton Standard for further evaluation and possible repair. Maintenance technicians, who inspected the blade, lacked proper NDI familiarization training and specific equipment to identify the corrosion that resulted in fatigue. The captain and seven passengers were killed.

On August 20, 1995, about 1455 Atlantic standard time, a Government Aircraft Facilities N22B, registered to International Jet Center, operated by Hanaer Express as flight 501, collided with trees following loss of control, during the landing roll at the Jeremie Airport, Jeremie, Haiti. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the scheduled, domestic, passenger flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the airline transport-rated captain and first officer, and 12 passengers were not injured. The flight originated about 1405, from the Port-Au-Prince International Airport, Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.

The twin engine aircraft departed Neiva-Benito Salas Airport at 0922LT on a regular schedule flight to Cali, carrying six passengers and two pilots. After departure, the crew was cleared to climb under VFR to the altitude of 14,500 feet. The last radio communication was recorded at 0940LT and three minutes later, while cruising in clouds at the altitude of 14,271 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Nevado del Huila (5,750 metres high). SAR operations were initiated but the wreckage was found 10 days later only, at an altitude of 4,350 metres. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Guatemala City, the crew was cleared to start the descent to San Salvador-Comalapa Airport but encountered poor visibility due to the night and heavy rain falls. In thunderstorm activity, the crew was cleared to modify his route while descending to the airport. After being cleared to descend to 5,000 feet, the GPWS alarm sounded. The captain applied full power when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located on the Mt San Vicente (Chichontepec Volcano - 2,181 metres high), about 25 km northeast from runway 25 threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 65 occupants were killed.

On final approach to Fane Airport runway 19, the twin engine aircraft lost height, struck the ground few metres short of runway threshold and came to rest upside down. All 12 occupants were injured and the aircraft was written off. Runway 19 is 1,480 metres long and has a 12° slope. Takeoff and landings can be completed in one direction only.