Description

On 22 June 2003, a Bombardier CRJ100 being operated by Brit Air flew a inaccurate an unstabilised ILS approach to runway 26L at destintion at night and in IMC and impacted terrain following unsuccessful attempt at a go-around. The accident site was 2,150 meters from the runway threshold and 450 meters from the extended runway centreline. The aircraft struck several obstacles and caught fire. One of the 24 occupants died and four others were injured.

The Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the French BEA. Their Report gives a summary of the events immediately after the decision of the crew to go-around:

"The Captain's announcement “Go around” at 21 h 51 min 16 sec occurred when the aeroplane arrived at the decision altitude, just after the GPWS/TAWS “One hundred” announcement and the Co-pilot stating “I've nothing in front”.

One second later, the engine parameters began to increase: there was therefore an immediate throttle input following the announcement. The first significant upward elevator deflection occurred three seconds after the beginning of the thrust increase. Given the nose-down pitching moment produced by the thrust increase, and loss of elevator efficiency due to low airspeed, the amplitude of the nose-up action was not sufficient to bring the aeroplane into an ascending flight path. The aeroplane pitch decreased from 0° to - 5°. That was where the first noise of impact was heard, at 21 h 51 min 22 s. The flaps and landing gear remained in the same configuration.