Bedfordshire

The aircraft made a surveillance radar approach (SRA) to the Luton runway 08 at night, in conditions of low cloud and poor visibility and landed well past the touchdown zone. It then overran the end of the runway, became airborne over a 10 metre deep escarpment, struck the ground and caught fire. The seven passengers escaped from the aircraft through a hole in the fuselage and the commander exited through his direct vision (DV) window; all of them sustained relatively minor injuries. The co-pilot received severe spinal injuries and was unable to vacate the cockpit without the assistance of the rescue services. The external and cabin fires were extinguished by the aerodrome fire service who were then delayed in entering the cabin by the concentration of smoke and the lack of breathing apparatus.

The aircraft was operating a charter flight from Dublin to Luton, loaded with newspapers and equipment necessary for the conveyance of horses back to Dublin. The passengers were six grooms who were intended to accompany the horses on the return flight. During the uneventful flight from Dublin to the Luton area the pilot received a surface wind forecast for Luton of 300/06 knots. At midnight contact was established with Luton Approach. The pilot was given the Luton landing conditions as: 'QNH 1013.5, CAVOK, (ceiling and visibility OK) surface wind practically calm' and asked if he would accept radar positioning for a visual approach to runway 08, to which he agreed. The radar positioning was terminated at 00.04 hrs when the aircraft was cleared to Luton tower frequency with 'Six track miles to run' and the runway in sight. When the pilot contacted Luton Tower at 00.05 hrs, he was cleared to land on runway 08 and given the surface wind as 300 degrees 04 knots. He acknowledged this last transmission and there was no further communication with the aircraft. The evidence indicates that the approach path and speed were normal. The commander did not notice the Indicated Air Speed (IAS) immediately before touchdown but recalled that the initial approach was made at approximately 130 knots IAS reducing to the target threshold speed of 115 knots as the flaps extended. The aircraft touched down at an IAS of 105 knots. The commander was of the opinion that, despite a tendency to float, the aircraft touched down at the correct distance down the runway, and, as soon as it had done so, he called for reverse thrust immediately the aircraft was on the runway. On receiving the commander's order, the engineer selected reverse thrust on numbers 2 and 3 engines followed by numbers 1 and 4 whilst monitoring the engine instruments. The commander was familiar with this method of selecting reverse which was the technique normally used in the company. The flight engineer did not see the blue warning lights illuminate to indicate that the propellers were moving into reverse pitch, he therefore selected Nos 1 and 4 propellers to forward pitch, with throttles closed, in case the reason for the malfunction was an electrical overload due to operation of all four feathering/reversing pumps at low engine rpm. The commander had also noticed that the blue lights had not illuminated and, seeing that Nos 1 and 4 propellers were selected to forward pitch, called 'reverse all engines'. In response to his order the engineer made the required selection and all four throttle levers were seen to be in the reverse quadrant by the operating crew, although no blue lights were noted. The aircraft was not decelerating during this period and that no reverse thrust was achieved. The commander ordered the engineer to 'put them in the middle', thus to cancel the reverse thrust selections. There were two short periods of engine acceleration during the landing roll. The commander assisted by the first officer applied the toe brakes, assessed them to be ineffective and, as the aircraft was still not decelerating, applied the emergency pneumatic brakes by turning the operating handle to 'on'. The commander did not notice any deceleration and, consequently, did not follow the procedure of selecting them alternatively to 'hold' and to 'on'. All four main wheels locked, the tyres burst and further retardation from the brakes was lost. Sparks and smoke were seen emanating from the area of the undercarriage when the aircraft approached the end of the runway. When it became apparent that the aircraft would overrun the runway the commander called to have the 'switches' put to 'OFF'. The flight engineer selected the ignition switches off before the aircraft left the end of the runway and ploughed across the overrun area. It was still travelling fast enough to follow a trajectory off the top of the bank at the end of the runway leaving no wheel marks down the slope. The aircraft stopped in soft ground 90 metres from the end of the runway at the foot of the bank having demolished part of the aerodrome fence and some of the approach lights. All persons on board abandoned the aircraft without delay. As the flight engineer was leaving via the right hand side crew door, he noticed a small fire under the number 3 engine. He returned to the cockpit, pulled the firewall shut-off controls and discharged a fire extinguisher to all four engines.

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Luton Airport. Shortly after takeoff with an engine voluntarily shut down, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto a factory near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew were killed while no one on the ground was injured.

Following an uneventful charter flight from Luxembourg, the crew completed a landing by night on a wet runway. After touchdown, the airplane encountered difficulties to decelerate and overran. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen yards further. All 69 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was estimated to 1,800 meters with clouds at 300 feet. It is believed the aircraft suffered aquaplaning after landing while the flaps were retracted in the takeoff position and the brakes were applied intermittently.

While conducting a training sortie, the crew reported to ATC that he lost an engine and obtained the permission to divert to RAF Cranfield for an emergency landing. Few minutes later, the left engine lost power and the captain realized it was not possible to reach the airbase so he decided to attempt an emergency landing in a field located 1,5 mile short of runway. The airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All four crew members were uninjured but the airplane was written off.

For unknown reason, the aircraft landed hard. After it vacated the runway via a taxiway, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair. Both pilots were uninjured.

While cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet on a flight from Halfpenny Green to RAF Cranfield, the crew encountered technical problems with the left engine that was shot down. The crew decided to perform an emergency descent and while flying through clouds, he encountered icing conditions. After the airplane crossed the cloud base, while at an altitude of 200 feet about 3 miles from the airfield, the pilot-in-command was unable to maintain a safe control due to icing. With one engine inoperative, he attempted an emergency landing in a field. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.