Landing (descent or approach)

The aircraft was on a schedule flight from O. R. Tambo International Airport - Johannesburg (South Africa) to London, with an intermediate stop at Tripoli international Airport, Libya. The Aircraft took off on May 11th 2010 at 19:25 UTC as flight number 8U771/AAW771. There were three cockpit crew, eight cabin crew, and 93 passengers on board, with fifty thousand kg of fuel during takeoff role and the Aircraft mass was 187,501 kg. During final approach towards runway 09 at Tripoli international Airport, the crew announced go-around and initiated the miss approach procedure with the knowledge and confirmation of Tripoli tower. During the missed approach phase, the Aircraft responded to the crew’s inputs, velocity and altitude increased above the MDA, then the aircraft descended dramatically until collided with the ground about 1,200 meters from the threshold of the runway 09 and 150 meters to the right of its centerline, impact and post impact fire caused complete destruction to the Aircraft. A boy aged 8 was injured while 103 other occupants were killed.

The crew was performing a supply mission in the Nunavut with three scientists on board. Equipped with ski, the aircraft landed on the snow covered terrain some 168 km north of Alert Air Base. After landing, the aircraft came to a halt when the right ski punctured the ice and the aircraft partially sunk while both engines were still running. All five occupants escaped uninjured and were evacuated two hours later by the crew of a Bell 407 to Resolute Bay. Damaged beyond repair, the aircraft was abandoned on site and later cancelled from registry in November 2011.

The crew was engaged in a troop transfer mission between RAF Lyneham and Brize Norton. Following an uneventful flight, the four engine aircraft made a wheels up landing at Brize Norton Airport. It slid on the runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

After landing on runway 20 (1,760 meters long) at Mitú-Fabio Alberto León Bentley Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 52 knots, went through a fence, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a prairie some 163 metres further. All 41 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was registered FAC-1173 (military) and HK-4536 (civil).

The instrument-rated pilot was issued a clearance to descend to 4,000 feet for radar vectors to a non precision instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The last 1 minute 23 seconds of radar data indicated the airplane leveled at 4,000 feet for about 35 seconds and then varied between 3,800 feet and 3,900 feet for the remainder of the flight for which data was available. During this timeframe, the airspeed decreased from 131 knots to 57 knots. Witnesses observed the airplane descending in a spin, and one reported hearing the engine running. Recorded engine data showed an increase in engine power near stall speed, which was likely the pilot's response to the low airspeed. The airplane damage was consistent with a low-speed impact with some rotation about the airplane's vertical axis. The pilot did not make any transmissions to air traffic control indicating any abnormalities or emergency. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. During training on the accident airplane, the instructor recommended that the pilot get 25 to 50 hours of flight in visual meteorological conditions before flying in IMC in order to gain more familiarity with the radios, switches, and navigation equipment. The pilot only had 14 hours of flight time in the accident airplane before the accident flight, however it could not determined whether this played a role in the accident.

On final approach to Arlit Airport, the crew lost visual contact with the runway due to a sand storm. The aircraft was too low and hit the ground short of runway. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid over few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft departed Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport on a cargo service to Los Angeles with an intermediate stop in Monterrey, carrying five crew members. On final approach to Monterrey-General Mariano Escobedo Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with CB's and sky broken at 600 feet. On short final, while at a distance of 2 km from the runway threshold, the crew was cleared to land on runway 11. Shortly later, the aircraft rolled to the left then crashed on a motorway located 700 metres short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five crew members were killed as well as one people in a car.

On 13 April 2010, a Boeing B737-300 aircraft registered PK-MDE was being operated by PT. Merpati Nusantara Airline as a scheduled passenger flight MZ 836, from Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar, Sulawesi to Rendani Airport, Manokwari, Papua. It made a transit stop at Domine Eduard Osok Airport, Sorong, Papua. The aircraft departed from Makassar at 2010 UTC and landed at Sorong at 2214 UTC. The scheduled departure time from Sorong was 2235, but due to heavy rain over Manokwari, the departure was delayed for about two hours. The pilot in command was the pilot flying, and the copilot, who also held a command rating on the aircraft, was the support/monitoring pilot. The aircraft subsequently departed Sorong 2 hours and 43 minutes later, at 0118. The observed weather report issued by Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika (BMG) Manokwari for takeoff and landing at 0100 indicated that the weather was “continuous slight rain, horizontal visibility of 3 to 4 kilometers, cloud overcast cumulus-stratocumulus, westerly wind at 5 knots”. The aircraft’s dispatch release from Sorong indicated that the flight was planned under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The destination, Manokwari, had no published instrument approach procedure. Terminal area operations, including approach and landing, were required to be conducted under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR). At 0146 the crew made the first direct contact with Rendani Radio and reported their position as 14 Nm from Manokwari, and maintaining altitude 10,500 feet. Following this radio contact, Rendani Radio informed the crew that the weather was continuous slight rain, visibility 3 kilometers, cloud overcast with cumulus stratocumulus at 1,400 feet, temperature 24 degrees Celsius, QNH 1012 hectopascals. The transcript of the Rendani Radio communications with the aircraft indicated that controller then instructed the crew to descend and joint right downwind for runway 35, and to report when overhead the airport. Shortly after, the crew reported overhead the airport at 5,000 feet. The controller then instructed the crew to report when they were on final approach for runway 35. The crew acknowledged this instruction. At 0154 the crew reported that they were on final for runway 35. The controller informed them that the wind was calm, runway condition was wet and clear. The crew read back the wind condition and that the runway was clear, but did not mention the wet runway condition. According to the Rendani Airport Administrator’s report to the investigation, the aircraft was observed to make a normal touchdown on the runway at about 0155, about 120 meters from the approach end of runway 35. The report stated that the aircraft’s engine reverser sound was not heard during landing roll. Witnesses on board the aircraft also stated that the aircraft made a smooth landing, and the engine reversers were not heard during the landing roll. During the landing roll, the aircraft veered to the left about 140 meters from the end of runway 35, then overran the departure end of runway 35. At about 0156 it came to a stop 205 meters beyond the end of the runway in a narrow river; the Rendani River. The Observed Weather Report issued by BMG Manokwari for takeoff and landing at 0200 (4 minutes after the accident) indicated that the weather was continuous moderate rain, with a horizontal visibility of 4 kilometers, cloud overcast cumulus stratocumulus, south-westerly wind at 5 knots. The airport rescue and fire fighting unit was immediately deployed to assist the post crash evacuation. Due to the steep terrain 155 meters from the end of runway 35, the rescuers had to turn back and use the airport’s main road to reach the aircraft. The accident site was in an area of shallow muddy water surrounded by mangrove vegetation. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Nearby residents, police and armed forces personnel assisted the evacuation from the aircraft. The Rendani Airport Administrator reported that the passengers and crew members were evacuated and moved from the site by 0230. They were taken to the Manokwari General Hospital, and Manokwari Naval Hospital for further medical treatment.

On approach to Smolensk Airport in poor weather conditions, crew was forced to make a go-around and approach was abandoned three times. On the fourth approach, at a speed of 260 km/h, aircraft went beyond the minimum safe altitude, hit tree tops, lost its left wing and crashed in a huge explosion. All 96 occupants were killed, among them the President of the Polish Republic Lech Kaczyński and his wife. He was flying to Smolensk to take part to the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Katyn massacre when Soviet Army killed 20,000 Polish officers. Among the delegation were also members of the Polish Senate and Government; the ex President, the vice-president of low Chamber, the Senate vice-president, the president of the polish central bank, the chief of military staff, the chief of ground forces, the chief of the Air Force, the chief of special forces, the chief of Marines, the personal assistant of President, the chief of National Security, the vice-Minister of Defense and the vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs.

On approach to Bahías de Huatulco Airport, the crew was unable to lower the landing gear. It was decided to perform a wheels up landing. The aircraft landed on its belly then slid for few dozen metres, veered off runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. All six occupants escaped uninjured but the aircraft was destroyed by fire. Among the passenger was Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, Governor of the State of Oaxaca.