Landing (descent or approach)

The aircraft was carrying a delegation of Senior Officials of the Guinea Air Force to Monrovia. On final approach to Roberts Airport, the aircraft descended too low, impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located near Charlesville, some 4 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed, among them General Souleymane Kéléfa Diallo, Chief of Staff of the Guinea Army Forces. The delegation was on its way to Monrovia to take part to the celebration of the Liberia Army forces anniversary.

Following an uneventful flight from Casablanca-Mohamed V Airport, the crew started the approach to Tunis-Carthage International Airport Runway 19 and encountered marginal weather conditions. After touchdown, the aircraft rolled for a distance of 1,600 metres then deviated to the right. The aircraft veered off runway, rolled in a grassy area for 114 metres when the nose gear impacted the concrete perpendicularly runway 11/29. On impact, the nose gear was torn off and the aircraft rolled for another 130 metres before coming to rest. All 83 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, strong crosswinds and heavy rain falls passed over the airport.

The lineman who spoke with the pilot/owner of the accident airplane before its departure reported that the pilot stated that he and the flight instructor were going out to practice for about an hour. The flight instructor had given the pilot/owner his initial instruction in the airplane and flew with the pilot/owner regularly. The flight instructor had also given the pilot/owner about 58 hours of dual instruction in the accident airplane. The pilot/owner had accumulated about 51 hours of pilot-in-command time in the airplane make and model. It is likely that the pilot/owner was the pilot flying. Several witnesses reported observing the accident sequence. One witness reported seeing the airplane pull up into vertical flight, bank left, rotate nose down, and then impact the ground. One witness reported observing the airplane go from east to west, turn sharply, and then go north of the runway. He subsequently saw the airplane hit the ground. One witness, who was a pilot, stated that he observed the airplane enter a left bank and then a nose-down attitude of about 75 degrees at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level, which was too low to recover. It is likely that the pilot was attempting a go-around and pitched up the airplane excessively and subsequently lost control, which resulted in the airplane impacting flat desert terrain about 100 feet north of the active runway at about the midfield point in a steep nose-down, left-wing-low attitude. The airplane was destroyed by postimpact forces and thermal damage. All components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site. A postaccident examination of the airframe and both engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, an examination of both propellers revealed rotational scoring and twisting of the blades consistent with there being power during the impact sequence. No anomalies were noted with either propeller that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicological testing of the pilot was negative for drugs and alcohol. The flight instructor’s toxicology report revealed the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Given the elevated levels of metabolite in the urine and kidney, the absence of quantifiable THC in the urine, and the low level of THC in the kidney and liver, it is likely that the flight instructor most recently used marijuana at least several hours before the accident. However, the effects of marijuana use on the flight instructor’s judgment and performance at the time of the accident could not be determined. A review of the flight instructor’s personal medical records indicated that he had a number of medical conditions that would have been grounds for denying his airman medical certificate. The ongoing treatment of his conditions with more than one sedating benzodiazepine, including oxazepam, simultaneously would also likely not have been allowed. However, none of the prescribed, actively sedating medications were found in the flight instructor’s tissues, and oxazepam was only found in the urine, which suggests that the flight instructor used the medication many hours and possibly several days before the accident. The toxicology findings indicate that the flight instructor likely did not experience any impairment from the benzodiazepine medication itself; however, the cognitive effects from the underlying mood disturbance could not be determined.

The Rome-Fiumicino Airport Runway 25 was closed to trafic due to work in progress so the crew was vectored and cleared for a landing on runway 16L. The approach was completed in good visibility with strong crosswinds from 250° at 28 knots gusting to 41 knots and windshear. On the last segment, the aircraft lost height and impacted ground 567 metres short of runway 16L threshold. The aircraft bounced three times, lost its right main gear, slid for few dozen metres and came to rest in a grassy area some 1,780 metres past the runway threshold. All 50 occupants were rescued, among them seven were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Following an uneventful flight from Kokshetau, the crew started the descent to Almaty Airport and was cleared for an ILS approach (Cat IIIb approach) to runway 23R. At this time, the horizontal visibility was 200 metres, the vertical visibility 40 metres and the RVR for runway 23R was 275-250-225 metres respectively. Due to this poor weather conditions at destination, the captain got stressed, creating a strong emotional reaction. On short final, at an altitude of 180 metres, the captain decided to abandon the landing procedure and initiated a go-around manoeuvre. The automatic pilot system was deactivated and the TO/GA mode was activated. Four seconds later, the captain pushed the control column forward, causing the aircraft to descend. The EGPWS alarm sounded in the cockpit but there was no response from the flying crew. In a pitch angle of -16° and with a descent rate of about 20-30 metres per second, the aircraft impacted ground and disintegrated in a snow covered field. The wreckage was found some 1,400 metres short of runway. All 21 occupants were killed. Due to the actual weather conditions, the crew should perform a Cat IIIc approach.

On approach to Three Hills Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions. Too low, the single engine airplane struck the ground, lost its left wing and came to rest in a snow covered field. All three occupants were rescued, among them a passenger was slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On approach to runway 18 at Okiwi, New Zealand, the aircraft encountered windshear on short final as the pilot reduced power to land. The pilot was unable to arrest the descent rate and the aircraft landed heavily. Damage was caused to both landing gear oleos and one brake unit, with rippling found on the upper and lower skin of each wing. One passenger sustained a back injury, which was later identified as a fractured vertebra. The pilot was aware of fluctuating wind conditions at Okiwi and had increased the approach speed to 70 knots as per company standard operating procedures. The pilot reported that despite this, the airspeed reduced rapidly and significantly at 10 to 15 feet agl, leaving little time to react to the situation.

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a local paratroopers/skydiving mission at Bloemspruit AFB that shares a runway with Bloemfontein-Bram Fischer International Airport. For unknown reasons, the aircraft landed hard on its nose, veered off runway and came to rest with its left wing on the ground. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The twin engine aircraft suffered an accident at Hermosillo-General Ignacio Pesqueira Garcia Airport. After touchdown, the airplane veered off runway, collided with a fence and came to rest on its belly. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The pilot receiving instruction conducted three full-stop landings without incident. After the fourth takeoff, the flight instructor simulated a prearranged left engine failure about 600 ft above ground level (agl). The pilot followed emergency procedures, used the checklist, and prepared to land. The pilot reported that, when the airplane was about 50 to 100 ft agl on final approach, he thought that it was a little too high, so he chose to initiate a go-around. He moved the throttle levers full forward, but neither engine responded. The flight instructor pushed the airplane's nose down, and the pilot continued the approach. On touchdown, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. A postimpact fire ensued, which consumed most of the airplane. Postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed that it collapsed due to bending overload consistent with a hard landing. The reason for the failure of both engines to respond to power inputs could not be determined because of the postcrash fire damage.