Landing (descent or approach)

The aircraft crashed while maneuvering to land at Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Flight 427 was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to Pittsburgh. The flight departed about 1810, with 2 pilots, 3 flight attendants, and 127 passengers on board. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted terrain near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, about 6 miles northwest of the destination airport. All 132 people on board were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.

Witnesses stated that the airplane was on final approach to runway 03 with the landing gear and flaps extended. One witness reported that when the airplane was about 50 to 100 feet above the ground, he heard the engine go to full power, and the airplane entered a steep climbing right turn. The witness stated that the airplane looked very slow during the steep climb. While in the climb, the airplane's wings leveled and then the airplane banked left and nosed down into the ground. A no-radio gyrocopter had just taken off on runway 03. Both occupants were killed.

The flight was a private pleasure/travel flight for the purpose of transporting the pilot, his wife, and two other couples from Windsor to Killarney, Ontario, where they were to spend the weekend with friends. The flight had been planned in advance of the departure date. The pilot commenced taxiing at 1058 eastern daylight saving time (EDT), and was issued an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance to Killarney via the routing "Windsor, radar vectors Sarnia, direct Wiarton, direct Killarney, to maintain 3,000" feet asl. The pilot took off at 1105. After take-off, the flight proceeded in a routine manner in accordance with the IFR clearance and was issued a final cruise altitude of 9,000 feet asl. The pilot reported level at 9,000 feet asl at 1125. At 1137, while the flight was 65 to 70 nm southwest of Wiarton, Ontario, the pilot was issued and acknowledged a clearance to fly direct to Killarney. At 1151, he requested and was issued a clearance to climb to 12,000 feet asl to get above a cloud layer, and reported level at 12,000 feet asl at 1155. The flight passed 20 nm to the west of Wiarton at 1203. At 1206, the pilot was given the Sudbury altimeter setting of 29.913 and was cleared to maintain 4,000 feet asl at his convenience. He acknowledged the clearance and commenced descent from 12,000 feet asl, 62 nm south of Killarney. Shortly after issuing the descent clearance, the air traffic services (ATS) controller advised the pilot that the IFR flight plan could be cancelled with the controller on his frequency while still airborne or with the Sault Ste. Marie flight service station (FSS) on the ground by a toll free telephone number. The ATS controller asked the flight crew of another aircraft on the same frequency to listen for an IFR cancellation from C-GSEV and to relay the cancellation to the controller. At 1221, the pilot of C-GSEV advised the ATS controller that he would be descending to 2,000 feet asl. The controller advised the pilot that the flight was in uncontrolled airspace and descent would be at the pilot's discretion. The pilot acknowledged the message, and this was the last direct controller/pilot communication (DCPC) between ATS and the aircraft. The last recorded radar position of the aircraft was at 1223:43, when it slowed to 180 knots ground speed and was descending out of 3,000 feet asl, 3 1/2 to 4 nm south of the Killarney airport. At about 1224, the flight crew from another aircraft on the frequency advised the ATS controller that C-GSEV had cancelled the IFR flight plan. There was no further communication with the flight after the pilot cancelled the IFR flight plan. The aircraft was reported missing to officials of the pilot's company the following morning by friends and family of the passengers. Search and rescue authorities were notified at approximately 0930, and the wreckage was located by search and rescue late that afternoon. The aircraft struck the rock face of a mountain at 1,321 feet asl in near level flight, on a northeast heading. The top of the mountain was 1,408 feet asl. The six occupants were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed on impact. The accident occurred at about 1230 EDT during the hours of daylight, at latitude 46°02'N and longitude 081°26'W.
Crew:
Emidio Simone, pilot.
Passengers:
Laila Simone,
William and Lynne Bolton,
David and Pauline Moore.

The aircraft departed Banjul, Gambia, on an international scheduled service to Lagos with intermediate stops in Freetown, Monrovia and Accra. The approach to Monrovia-James Spriggs Payne Airport runway 23 was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. On final, at a distance of 4 km from the runway threshold, the captain confirmed that visual contact with the runway was established and continued the approach. At an excessive speed, the airplane passed over the runway threshold at a height of 150 feet and landed too far down the runway, about 3,000 feet past its threshold. On a wet runway surface, despite full brakes and reverse thrusts were deployed, the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 80 knots and came to rest 120 metres further, bursting into flames. All 85 occupants were rescued, among them few were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The descent and approach to Jeju Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with turbulences and heavy rain falls as typhoon 'Doug' was passing over. On final approach, flaps were deployed at 15°/20° as the captain was suspecting windshear and microburst conditions. Twice, the copilot informed the captain about the approach speed of 147 knots which was acknowledged. The captain continued the approach but too high on the glide, the aircraft landed too far down the runway, about 1,773 metres past its threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance (1,227 metres remaining), overran at a speed of 104 knots and eventually collided with a concrete wall and military barracks, bursting into flames. All 160 occupants were quickly evacuated, among them seven were slightly injured.

The approach to Bada Airfield was performed in poor weather conditions with low visibility due to heavy rain falls. On final approach, the four engine aircraft struck a hill (140 metres high) located 5,200 metres short of runway and 430 metres to the right of its extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 47 occupants were killed.

On approach to Purnema Airstrip, the crew was forced to initiate a go-around for unknown reasons. During a second attempt to land, the single engine aircraft deviated from the approach pattern and glide path, lost speed, stalled and struck the ground 57 metres short of runway threshold. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all 17 occupants escaped uninjured.

The approach to Kunming-Wujiaba Airport runway 03 was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Following a wrong approach configuration, the crew landed at an excessive speed of 170 knots and the aircraft touched down 2,500 feet past the runway threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck approach lights and the ILS antenna, lost its nose gear and came to rest. All 148 occupants were rescued, among them 15 passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On Monday July 18 1995 at 00h45 UTC, expressed in local time as Sunday July 17 at 20h45, the Trans Island Air Britten-Norman BN2B registered as 8P-TAD, took off from Grantley Adams airport (Barbados) bound for Fort de France (Martinique) with one pilot and five passengers on board. The flight had been preceded by another aircraft, registered as 8P-TAC, of the same type and belonging to the same company, flying the same route. These flights were undertaken on a charter basis on behalf of Société Nouvelle Air Martinique. They were carrying passengers originally scheduled to fly on a Dornier 228 which was out of service, and which was supposed to undertake scheduled flight PN403. At 01h39, at the request of the approach controller, the pilot announced his estimated arrival time over the FOF beacon at 01h47. At 01h40 the pilot said that he was at 2700 feet, thus at the minimum arrival altitude in that sector, still on the 150 radial from FOF; he stated that he had the field in sight and requested permission to make a visual approach. At 01h42, at the request of the controller, the pilot confirmed that he had the field in sight and obtained clearance for a visual approach. At 01h45, the pilot of 8P-TAD transmitted for the last time. At 01h48, he no longer responded to the controller's calls. At 01h58, the DETRESFA phase of the search and rescue procedure was initiated. On July 19 1994 at around 08h30, a day and a half after the accident, the wreckage of the aircraft was found in the Carbet hills, near Piton Lacroix in the
commune of Bellefontaine.

The aircraft landed 45 metres past the runway 21 threshold at Boma Airfield (runway 21 is 1,082 metres long). The crew started the braking procedure and both engines n°1 & 3 were shut down after a course of about 400-500 metres. At a distance of 200 metres from the runway end, the captain elected to veer to the right to avoid an overrun when the aircraft went down an embankment and came to rest in a 8 metres deep ravine, bursting into flames. Four people were injured and five others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.