Description

On 14 February 2012, a Saab 24A being operated by Latvian carrier RAF-AVIA Airlines on a scheduled cargo flight for Swedish cargo carrier Nordflyg from Helsinki to Mariehamn failed to follow TWR ATC instructions to make a procedural ILS approach to runway 21 at destination and was observed on radar to track direct to the airport before being cleared to land and then observed by ATC in night Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) to attempt a steep turn towards the runway before disappearing behind rising terrain and trees until reappearing and remaining below the ILS GS and landing on runway 21.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Safety Investigation Authority, Finland (SIAF) as a result of notification by the Mariehamn ATC Unit. The aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) recordings were available to the Investigation as were ATC voice communication recordings and (some days later) a short informal unsigned report from the aircraft commander. The First Officer was interviewed both in Riga and in Helsinki but “attempts (by the Investigation Team) to interview the Captain…did not succeed”.

The 57 year old aircraft commander who had acted as PF for the investigated approach, was found to be an experienced pilot but to have had only 200 hours on the Saab 340. The inexperienced First Officer had a total flying time of only 390 hours of which just under half were on the Saab 340.