Beechcraft 1900D – 7T-VIN

Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 28 January 2004

Aircraft Type: Beechcraft 1900D

Owner/operator: Tassili Airlines

Registration Number: 7T-VIN

Location: 5 km S of Ghardaa-Noumrat Airport (GHA) – ÿ Algeria

Phase of Flight: Approach

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 5

Component Affected: Aircraft Control System (specifically, the pilot’s control loop and the aircraft’s navigation systems).Aircraft Control System (specifically, the pilot’s control loop and the aircraft’s navigation systems).

Category: Accident

On October 26, 2023, a Beechcraft 1900D aircraft carrying two employees from the oil fields near Hassin R’Mel to Ghardaa, chartered by Sonatrach, experienced a serious aviation incident during a flight from 20:30 to 20:44. The flight was cleared for a right-hand circuit, and the copilot initiated an NDB/ILS approach to runway 30. However, a Boeing 727, on long finals, entered the approach, causing a significant delay. The captain subsequently preferred a visual approach, leading to a lapse in control. At 20:57, the EGPWS alarm sounded, and the aircraft initiated a climb to a descent altitude of 240 feet. The captain then assumed control and piloted the aircraft south of Ghardaa until 21:01, during which the copilot observed the runway. The aircraft impacted the ground and broke up, resulting in the death of the co-pilot. The investigation revealed a series of contributing factors, including a failure to adhere to standard operating procedures, insufficient holding, a lack of situational awareness, inadequate communication, and a potential influence from the southern Algerian airspace.On October 26, 2023, a Beechcraft 1900D aircraft carrying two employees from the oil fields near Hassin R’Mel to Ghardaa, chartered by Sonatrach, experienced a serious aviation incident during a flight from 20:30 to 20:44. The flight was cleared for a right-hand circuit, and the copilot initiated an NDB/ILS approach to runway 30. However, a Boeing 727, on long finals, entered the approach, causing a significant delay. The captain subsequently preferred a visual approach, leading to a lapse in control. At 20:57, the EGPWS alarm sounded, and the aircraft initiated a climb to a descent altitude of 240 feet. The captain then assumed control and piloted the aircraft south of Ghardaa until 21:01, during which the copilot observed the runway. The aircraft impacted the ground and broke up, resulting in the death of the co-pilot. The investigation revealed a series of contributing factors, including a failure to adhere to standard operating procedures, insufficient holding, a lack of situational awareness, inadequate communication, and a potential influence from the southern Algerian airspace.

Description

The Sonatrach company chartered one of Tassili Airlines’ Beechcraft 1900D planes to fly two employees from the oil fields near the Algerian Sahara town of Hassi R’Mel to Ghardaa. The copilot was Pilot Flying. The Beech took off at 20:30 and arrived near Ghardaa fourteen minutes later. At 20:44 the flight was cleared for a right hand circuit in preparation for an approach to runway 30. At that moment a Boeing 727 was on long finals. The copilot stated that he intended to carry out an NDB/ILS approach to runway 30. The captain however preferred a visual approach. The copilot carried out the captain’s course and descent instructions with hesitation. At 20:57, the EGPWS alarm sounded. Power was added and a climb was initiated from a lowest altitude of 240 feet above ground level. The captain then took over control and assumed the role of Pilot Flying. The airplane manoeuvred south of the airport until 21:01 when the copilot saw the runway. The captain rolled left to -57ø and pitched down to -18.9ø in order to steer the airplane towards the runway. Again the EGPWS sounded but the descent continued until the airplane impacted the ground and broke up. The five occupants survived the impact, but the co-pilot died a day later of his injuries. Causes of the accident (translated from French): The Commission believes that the accident can be explained by a series of several causes which, taken separately, would not lead to an accident. The causes are related to: 1 – the lack of rigor in the approach and landing phase evidenced by a failure to follow standard operating procedures, including the arrival checklist. 2 – the failure to strictly comply with the holding, approach and landing procedures in force for the aerodrome of Ghardaa. 3 – the fact that the captain seemed occupied by the visual search maneuvers that put him temporarily out of the control loop. He was so focused on the visual search for the runway and abandoned the monitoring of parameters that are critical for the safety of the flight. This concentration completely disoriented him. 4 – the fact that the crew did not respond appropriately to different alarms that occurred, indicating a lack of control in the operation of the aircraft in that kind of situation. Lack of control was apparently due to his lack of training on this aircraft type. 5 – The activities in the southern part of Algeria may cause a certain routine that can promote the tendency to conduct visual approaches. It seems, indeed, that the crew is more experienced in visual flights. 6 – A lack of coordination and communication between the crew members flying together for the first time.

Primary Cause

The lack of rigor in the approach and landing phase, evidenced by a failure to follow standard operating procedures, including the arrival checklist, coupled with insufficient situational awareness and a lack of control during the visual search maneuvers.The lack of rigor in the approach and landing phase, evidenced by a failure to follow standard operating procedures, including the arrival checklist, coupled with insufficient situational awareness and a lack of control during the visual search maneuvers.

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