Landing (descent or approach)

At 16:46 KLM Flight 1673 departed Amsterdam for Barcelona. Upon rotation from runway 18L the aircraft suffered a bird strike. A bird collided with the nose gear. The gear was retracted normally and there was no abnormal indication in the cockpit. The crew reported the impact to the ATC and the flight to Barcelona continued normally. The aircraft touched down on Barcelona's runway 25R. After touchdown of the nose landing gear, the aircraft started deviating to the left of the runway centreline. The veering to the left continued and the aircraft left the paved surface of the runway and went through an area of soft sand where some construction works were being carried out. The nose landing gear leg collapsed rearwards and the left main landing gear leg detached from its fittings shortly before the aircraft came to a stop close to the edge of a rain drainage canal. The final position of the aircraft was at a longitudinal distance of approximately 1606 m from runway 25R threshold, and at a lateral distance of approximately 84 m from the runway centreline.

On November 22, 2004, about 0615 central standard time, a Gulfstream G-1159A, N85VT, operated by Business Jet Services Ltd., struck a light pole and crashed about 3 miles southwest of William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas, while on an instrument landing system approach to runway 4. The two pilots and the flight attendant were killed, an individual in a vehicle near the airport received minor injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

Upon landing, the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

After landing on runway 09, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and eventually collided with the fire station located between both runways 08 and 09 at Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport. Two female passengers were killed while 19 other occupants suffered injuries of various degrees. Few hours later, a third passenger died from his injuries. Weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident with heavy rain falls, and the runway surface was wet.

The aircraft was on a base training flight at Kilimanjaro International Airport. At 0410 hrs it was cleared to the local flying area for upper air works, followed by VOR/ILS approaches to runway 09 via NDB KB. 5H-PAC took off and proceeded to the local flying area where the crew members did upper air works for about 30 minutes. According to the commander, these included clean and dirty stalls, level flights at different speeds, 45 degree turns left and right and exercises on unusual attitudes. Subsequent to these they returned to the airport via NDB KB for ILS approach to runway 09. They carried out a missed approach and proceeded to join RH circuits for touch-and-go operations on runway 09. The last operations before the accident was simulated engine failure after take off followed by single engine overshoot, this time using runway 27. This was approved and the commander was reminded that the surface wind was 090 degrees 08 knots. The aircraft turned left and positioned on right base for runway 27. It was subsequently given a landing clearance. The weather at the material time was fine with temperature 23 degrees Celsius. The controller, who was handling the flight, said that the final approach was perfect. The landing gear was down. The aircraft passed the threshold of runway 27 at about 70 feet above the ground and continued to flare on a straight and level attitude with the landing gear retracted. It continued in this attitude for a distance of about one and a half kilometers down the runway subsequent to which it drifted off the runway to the right. The controller asked the pilot to explain his intentions. There was no reply. Instead, the aircraft was observed to yaw violently as it drifted further to the right. Moments later, it impacted the ground on a grass hedge and skidded along the width of taxiway Y before it came to rest. The commander said that he repossessed the controls immediately when the aircraft started yawing but there was no time effect recovery. There was fuel spillage but fire did not break out. The two pilots, who had not put on their shoulder straps, sustained facial injuries.

The twin-engine airplane collided with a residential structure and terrain following a loss of control after the pilot experienced difficulties maintaining course during an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach while on instrument meteorological conditions. The impact occurred approximately 3.7 miles short of the approach end of the runway. Radar data depicted that after the 8,700-hour commercial pilot was vectored to the ILS Runway 3 approach, the airplane remained left throughout the approach before turning right of the localizer approximately 2 miles before the final approach fix (FAF). Radar then showed the aircraft turn to the left of course line. When the aircraft was abeam the FAF, it was approximately 1 mile left of the course line. As the aircraft closed to approximately 1.5 miles from the runway threshold, the aircraft had veered about 1.3 miles left of the course line (at which time air traffic control instructed the pilot to turn left to a heading of 270 degrees). The aircraft continued to turn left through the assigned heading and appeared to be heading back to the ILS course line. According to the radar, another aircraft was inbound on the ILS course line and Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) instructed the pilot to turn left immediately. Thereafter, the aircraft went below radar coverage. A witness, located approximately 1.25 miles northwest of the accident site, reported that he heard a very loud noise, and then observed an airplane flying toward a building, approximately 60 feet in height. The airplane was observed to have pitched-up approximately 45 - 90 degrees just before the building and disappeared into the clouds. A second witness located approximately 1 mile northwest of the accident site reported that he heard a low flying aircraft, and then observed a white twin engine airplane banking left out of the clouds. The airplane leveled out, and flew into the clouds again a few seconds later. The witness stated that the airplane was at an altitude of 100- 200 feet above the ground. A third witness located adjacent to the accident site reported that they heard the sound of a low flying airplane in the distance. As the sound became louder and louder, they looked up and observed the airplane in a near vertical attitude as it impacted trees and the side of an apartment complex. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. A weather observation taken approximately 15 minutes after the accident included a visibility 4 status miles, light drizzle and mist, and an overcast ceiling at 400 feet.

On October 24, 2004, about 1235 eastern daylight time (all times in this brief are eastern daylight time based on a 24-hour clock), a Beech King Air 200, N501RH, operated by Hendrick Motorsports, Inc., crashed into mountainous terrain in Stuart, Virginia, during a missed approach to Martinsville/Blue Ridge Airport (MTV), Martinsville, Virginia. The flight was transporting Hendrick Motorsports employees and others to an automobile race in Martinsville, Virginia. The two flight crewmembers and eight passengers were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident.

The occurrence of this accident was notified to the Flight Standards Inspectorate by the Nassau Control Tower. On October 22, 2004 about 1328 eastern daylight time (1828Z) a Beechcraft 1900C, N79YV registered to JODA LLC of Chesterfield Missouri, and operated by Southern Air Charter Limited of Nassau, Bahamas, was ditched. The accident occurred in approximately four (4) feet of water, approximately 82 yards off the southern shoreline of New Providence Island (6.98 nautical miles southeast of the Nassau International Airport). The State of Manufacture of the airframe and engines (United States) was advised of the accident on that day and invited to participate in the investigation. The NTSB as well as the FAA were also notified and subsequently made party to the investigation, as the aircraft was a United States registered aircraft operating on an approved United States 129.14 maintenance program. Visual Meteorological Conditions prevailed at the time and an outbound visual flight plan was on file. N79YV operated as a schedule air commuter on a domestic transport flight. The flight originated from Arthur’s Town, Cat Island Bahamas enroute to Nassau International Airport, Nassau, Bahamas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The occupants of the aircraft consisted of eight (8) passengers and a crew of two (2). The Pilot in Command held an Airline Transport Pilot rating and the First Officer held a Commercial Pilot rating. Both crews were certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA). No serious injuries or fatalities were reported.

On October 19, 2004, about 1937 central daylight time, Corporate Airlines (doing business as American Connection) flight 5966, a BAE Systems BAE-J3201, N875JX, struck trees on final approach and crashed short of runway 36 at Kirksville Regional Airport (IRK), Kirksville, Missouri. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled passenger flight from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, in St. Louis, Missouri, to IRK. The captain, first officer, and 11 of the 13 passengers were fatally injured, and 2 passengers received serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a post impact fire. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.

The aircraft suffered irreparable damages upon landing at Lanzarote Airport. There were no casualties.