GLF5, vicinity Hong Kong China, 2015

GLF5, vicinity Hong Kong China, 2015

Summary

On 13 January 2015, a Gulfstream G550 approaching Hong Kong on a positioning flight suddenly began rapidly descending without clearance and came within 500 feet of the sea surface before a recovery triggered by an EGPWS ‘PULL UP’ Warning had been accomplished. The Investigation found that the excursion resulted from an inadvertent and unrecognised elevator trim switch input which caused the autopilot to disconnect and that initiation of a recovery was delayed by the continued failure of all three pilots on the flight deck to determine the control status of the aircraft and was hindered by their ineffective CRM.

Description

On 13 January 2015, a Gulfstream G550 (B-8256) being operated by Hanergy Jet, on a charter positioning flight from Beijing Capital to Hong Kong as HHG305 with only four crew members on board was being radar vectored towards an ILS approach to runway 07L in day IMC when it suddenly began to descend rapidly below its cleared altitude of 2,000 feet and a recovery was only commenced after an EGPWS ‘PULL UP’ Warning with the aircraft reaching less than 500 feet above the sea. A subsequent approach and landing was completed without further event. There was no damage to the aircraft or injuries to the occupants. After completion of the flight, the Captain made a defect entry in the aircraft Technical Log in respect of a “potential operational problem with the horizontal stabilisers”.

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