Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 28 August 1971
Aircraft Type: Ilyushin Il-18V
Owner/operator: Malev Hungarian Airlines
Registration Number: HA-MOC
Location: 10 km NE off K?benhavn-Kastrup Airport (CPH) – ÿ Denmark
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 32 / Occupants: 34
Component Affected: Aircraft Airframe & Control SystemsAircraft Airframe & Control Systems
Category: Accident
On October 1, 2024, an Ilyushin 18V aircraft, MA731, experienced a significant loss of control during a return flight from Budapest to Oslo, Norway, resulting in a catastrophic crash. The aircraft initially ascended to 210 feet, then descended to 50 feet, and subsequently entered an ILS approach to runway 22L. Due to a severe rain shower creating intense radar clutter, the aircraft’s radar signal was washed out, preventing communication with the tower. The aircraft then rapidly descended, impacting the water and breaking up, resulting in the wreckage of a HA-M0C aircraft approximately 5.75 NM south of the runway. The incident was attributed to a loss of control during a landing configuration where the aircraft was about to intercept the ILS glideslope to runway 22L. The probable cause is believed to be a deterioration of airflow over the tailplane, leading to loss of longitudinal stability.On October 1, 2024, an Ilyushin 18V aircraft, MA731, experienced a significant loss of control during a return flight from Budapest to Oslo, Norway, resulting in a catastrophic crash. The aircraft initially ascended to 210 feet, then descended to 50 feet, and subsequently entered an ILS approach to runway 22L. Due to a severe rain shower creating intense radar clutter, the aircraft’s radar signal was washed out, preventing communication with the tower. The aircraft then rapidly descended, impacting the water and breaking up, resulting in the wreckage of a HA-M0C aircraft approximately 5.75 NM south of the runway. The incident was attributed to a loss of control during a landing configuration where the aircraft was about to intercept the ILS glideslope to runway 22L. The probable cause is believed to be a deterioration of airflow over the tailplane, leading to loss of longitudinal stability.

Description

The aircraft, an Ilyushin 18V, operated a return flight from Budapest, Hungary to Oslo, Norway, with intermediate stops at Berlin, East Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark. Flight MA731 departed Oslo at 17:15 on the first leg of the flight back to Budapest. The expected arrival time at Copenhagen was 18:53. After take-off, MA731 climbed in accordance with the ATC clearance to flight level 210. The en route and initial descent were uneventful. When radio contact was established with Copenhagen APP at 18:43, MA731 stated that “information November” (information of the runway in use etc.) had been received, and that the aircraft was descending to flight level 50. The approach controller later gave further heading and descent instructions. At 18:48 MA731 was cleared to 1500 ft. and an ILS approach to runway 22L. At 18:51 the aircraft was observed by the APP radar at a distance of 9 NM from the runway and on the centreline and he was asked to change to the tower frequency. At 18:51:59 contact was established with the control tower and it was intimated that the aircraft was on an approach to runway 22L. MA731 did not at any time report at 1500 ft. At 18:52:18 the aircraft was instructed to continue the approach and this was acknowledged according to the belief of the ATC. At this time a rain shower was 7 – 5 NM from the approach area, and this caused such a strong clutter on the radar screen, that the echo of MA731 was washed out. The result of this was that the flight of the aircraft in this area could not be registered on the radar screen in the tower. It was not possible to get radio or radar contact with the aircraft at any time later. The aircraft had started a steep descent until it impacted the water and broke up. At 19:20 the wreckage of HA-M0C was localized 5,75 NM from the end of the runway about 100 metres south of the centreline. Three passengers were initially rescued alive, but one died three days later. The probable cause of this accident was loss of control of the aircraft at the moment where the aircraft was about to intercept the ILS glideslope to runway 22L at Copenhagen airport, Kastrup. Although it has not been possible to establish the cause of the loss of control, it is most likely to believe that the aircraft in the landing configuration was affected by a deterioration of the airflow over the tailplane to such a degree that longitudinal stability was lost.

Source of Information

https://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php, http://iho.hu/hir/legikatasztrofa-koppenhagabanhttps://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php, http://iho.hu/hir/legikatasztrofa-koppenhagaban

Primary Cause

Loss of control during a landing configuration, likely due to a deterioration of airflow over the tailplane.Loss of control during a landing configuration, likely due to a deterioration of airflow over the tailplane.

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