Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 6 January 1993
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311
Owner/operator: Contact Air Flugdienst, lsf Lufthansa Cityline
Registration Number: D-BEAT
Location: 1,8 km E of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) – ÿ France
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 23
Component Affected: Aircraft control systems (specifically, the aircraft’s ability to maintain a stable descent and avoid ground contact).Aircraft control systems (specifically, the aircraft’s ability to maintain a stable descent and avoid ground contact).
Category: Accident
A DHC-8-311 passenger plane, D-BEAT, crashed near Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) due to a sudden ground contact during descent. Four passengers were killed. The flight, LH5634, departed Bremen Airport (BRE) at 17:55 carrying 19 passengers and four crew members. The approach controller instructed a runway 27 approach, and a Korean Air Boeing 747 contacted the runway with engine number 1. The local controller then instructed the flight to intercept the runway 28 ILS course and contact the local/south controller. The crew reported not seeing the runway due to clouds, resulting in a high sink rate and ground contact.A DHC-8-311 passenger plane, D-BEAT, crashed near Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) due to a sudden ground contact during descent. Four passengers were killed. The flight, LH5634, departed Bremen Airport (BRE) at 17:55 carrying 19 passengers and four crew members. The approach controller instructed a runway 27 approach, and a Korean Air Boeing 747 contacted the runway with engine number 1. The local controller then instructed the flight to intercept the runway 28 ILS course and contact the local/south controller. The crew reported not seeing the runway due to clouds, resulting in a high sink rate and ground contact.

Description

A de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 passenger plane, D-BEAT, was damaged beyond repair in an accident near Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), France. Four passengers were killed in the accident. Flight LH5634 had departed Bremen Airport (BRE), Germany at 17:55 carrying 19 passengers and four crew members. During the descent towards Paris-Charles de Gaulle, runways 27 and 28 were in use. The approach controller gave instructions for a runway 27 approach. The runway 27 ILS course was intercepted at 19:14, when 14 NM from the runway threshold. The local/north controller then cleared the flight for a runway 27 approach. At the same time a preceding Korean Air Boeing 747 contacted the runway with its no. 1 engine. The ATC supervisor decided to close the runway for inspection. The local controller then contacted flight LH5634 and instructed them turn left to intercept the runway 28 ILS course and contact the local/south controller. The crew contacted the local/south controller and reported at 1,5 NM from the runway. They did not see the runway yet because they were flying through clouds. The aircraft entered a high sink rate and flew into the ground 1800 m short of the runway.

Primary Cause

Incorrect ground contact during descent and lack of situational awareness leading to a high sink rate.Incorrect ground contact during descent and lack of situational awareness leading to a high sink rate.

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