Landing (descent or approach)

On August 23, 1998, at 1740 eastern daylight time a Cessna 402C, N2748J, impacted rising terrain following a go-around from runway 09, at the Melville Hall Airport, Dominica. The airplane was registered to Hartford Holding Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by Air Anguilla, Incorporated, St Thomas, Virgin Islands as Cardinal Airlines Flight 947 Dominica. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in heavy rain, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and 10 passengers sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. There was no fire. The airplane departed Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten, West Indies about 1600.

After landing at Jalal-Abad Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The four engine aircraft was completing a charter flight from Luanda to Saurimo, carrying a team of journalists who were supposed to visit a local diamonds mine. After touchdown, some tire burst. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest, bursting into flames. Twelve occupants were injured, some seriously, and the captain, an Ukrainian citizen, was killed.

Wasaya Airways Ltd. Flight 804, a Hawker Siddeley 748-2A, serial number 1750, landed at Kasabonika, Ontario, on a freight flight from Pickle Lake, Ontario. During the landing roll, the aircraft could not be stopped and overran the runway by about 450 feet. The captain, the first officer and one of the freight handlers suffered minor injuries; the other freight handler was not injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Originally, the flight was a direct one from Tokyo-Narita to Seoul but due to poor weather conditions at destination, the crew diverted to Jeju. The aircraft departed Jeju Airport at 2107LT on the final leg to Seoul-Gimpo Airport. At destination, weather conditions were still poor with heavy rain falls and wind from 220 gusting to 22 knots. After touchdown on runway 14R, the crew started the braking procedure but the aircraft deviated to the right and veered off runway. While contacting soft ground, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All 395 occupants evacuated, among them 20 were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, serial number 0039, departed Prince Rupert, British Columbia, at 1719 Pacific daylight time on a visual flight rules flight to Kincolith, British Columbia, with the pilot and four passengers on board. When the aircraft arrived at Kincolith at about 1750, witnesses watched it carry out three low approaches to the water landing area, each time descending to a few feet above the water before climbing away. On the fourth approach, at about 1758, the aircraft touched down, apparently in a controlled manner, and skipped on the water surface. The floats then dug into the water followed by the right wing, which was severed from the fuselage on water impact. The aircraft quickly overturned and came to rest inverted with only the bottom of the floats visible. Several members of the village community, who had been waiting for the aircraft on the Government Dock, rushed to the sunken aircraft in small boats but were unable to rescue the pilot or passengers inside the submerged cabin. The five occupants drowned in the accident, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.

Witnesses observed the flight enter downwind for runway 30, after it had completed a published approach to runway 12, with a circle to land on runway 30. The witnesses, one of which was a commercial pilot said that there were jagged ceilings at the time about 400 to 500 feet above the ground. He and two other men with him saw the airplane below the clouds. As the airplane proceeded downwind, it momentarily entered a cloud. As the airplane came out of the cloud, it turned left in about a 30 degree turn. The angle of bank increased to about 70 to 80 degrees, the tail of the airplane came up, and the airplane impacted the ground nose first. Several pilots at the airport heard someone from N69BS make a radio transmission on the UNICOM frequency. What was heard by several people was that N69BS had broken out at 2200 feet. They then heard, 'N69BS turning base,' immediately followed by 'lookout' and 'oh ....' All of the eye witnesses agreed that at no time did they see or hear any problems with the engine. They all said that the sounds coming from the engine never changed. The published approach in use at the time of the accident was the GPS (global positioning system) runway 12. The pilot made his initial approach to runway 12, broke off the approach to the right, entered a right downwind for a landing on runway 30. The published circling minimums for the approach were MDA (minimum descent altitude) 4,800 feet, HAT (height above terrain) 869 feet. Using an approach speed of 90 knots, the minimum visibility was 1 mile. Using an approach speed of 120 knots, the minimum visibility was 1 1/4 miles. The field elevation was 3,931 feet. The profile for the GPS runway 12 approach showed that after the IAF (Jesee way point), the course was 204 degrees, at 7,000 feet, to the Dezzi way point, from Dezzi the course was 114 degrees, descend to 5,600, to Sophi way point, after Sophi descend to 4,800 feet to the missed approach point at the Ruste way point. The distance from Dezzi to Ruste was 10 miles.

On approach to Kunduz Airport, while on a military supply mission, the crew reported technical problems when control was lost. The aircraft crashed few km short of runway and was destroyed. All five occupants were killed.

Flight SWT704, a cargo flight from Palma de Mallorca to Barcelona, was to be used by the crew as an instruction flight. The co-pilot, who that day was flying for the first time since 20th March 1998, and who was sitting in the left-hand seat, would thus carry out a refresher flight as "First officer under supervision", in accordance with the operator's procedures. At first, it had been planned that the aircraft should carry out a missed approach with one engine on its arrival at Barcelona Airport. However, for a runway 25 approach this was very difficult and the captain decided to postpone this manoeuvre. It was then decided to carry out a standard approach leaving the glide path a little above and then stopping the engine. They would then raise the landing gear and flaps by increments. The captain added: "As soon as we're without control, we'll restore it" (the engine). The approach to runway 25 was also normal. At 00:47:10 they contacted the Barcelona control tower, which indicated that they were number 1, that they should continue and that they should notify "established in final". Afterwards, they extended the landing gear and flaps. At 22:49:55 h, the captain notified the control tower that they were established in final. The tower indicated that they should continue, that a flight was leaving runway 25 and that it would call them immediately. At that moment, the Metro was at a height of some 1400 feet, at some 6 nm (about 3 minutes at 120 kt) from the runway threshold. At 22:50:03 h, with gear and flaps down, the instructor said "Well, engine stop" to which the copilot replied: "Come on, landing gear up". Contrary to normal practice, the right engine was shut down completely and the prop was feathered. It's usual practice to retard the throttles to idle to simulate zero thrust for that engine. When the co-pilot pushed the wrong pedal, the plane deviated to the right. The captain then tried to start the engine again. This failed however because due to the seizing of the guide rod bushing of the propeller pitch change mechanism, the pitch varying mechanism did not take the blades to the necessary pitch for start-up. The captain then said: "Well, I am taking out the engine again. I've raised the flap for you. Now flap by increments...". A few moments later the copilot asked "I continue with the approach, don't I?" to which the captain replied in the affirmative and added that they had been authorized to land and that they were going to land with one engine. At 22:51:09 he again confirmed "Well, just continue with one engine" and appeared to give general instructions on how to carry out a missed approach or what to do when near the runway. At 22:52:01, the captain said "landing gear", the co-pilot said "landing gear now" and the captain then confirmed "coming down". The stall warning then began to sound. The aircraft turned off to the right of the ILS localizer and adopted a position of almost 90° of roll to the left, then a position of 90° of roll to the right whilst continuing to lose height and then again took up a position of 90° of roll to the left. Finally, the left wing struck the ground and then the aircraft crashed first into the outside barrier of highway B-203 which runs round the edge of the Airport and then the perimeter fence, finally coming to a halt at some 250 m from the threshold of runway 25 and some 100 metres to the right of the runway axis. The wreckage of the aircraft burst into flames.

The aircraft had been booked for a static display and press 'photocall' at Southampton Airport, as part of the official launch of a project known as Seawings 2000. The aircraft operator had offered some short flights, free of charge, for the event organisers to use as they felt appropriate. Initial seat allocation was to the press, and members and officers of Southampton City Council. The remaining seats were offered to individuals representing organisations assisting the running of the project. The crew consisted of two pilots and two rear crew; one of the latter was designated 'crew chief'. There were two passenger compartments separated by a central compartment which had a door in the front bulkhead. Each passenger compartment was configured with eight seats, four either side of a central aisle. The front seats in each compartment were aft facing. The seats were typical airline type and had a standard lap belt restraint; a lifejacket was stowed under each seat. There was a bench type seat in each rear blister; however, these did not have restraint belts. On land, the aircraft is normally entered/vacated via ventral stairs, however, this access is not available when on water. There is a window type hatch between the seats on the left side of the front compartment. This is hinged at the top and opens upwards and outwards. To the rear and either side of the aft compartment there are two observation blisters which open upward in an 'eyelid' fashion. All three exits can be used for emergency egress. Emergency egress from the flight deck is through a removable hatch above the co-pilot's head.