Incident Overview

Date: Monday 21 December 1987
Aircraft Type: Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia
Owner/operator: Air France, opb Air Littoral
Registration Number: F-GEGH
Location: 5,1 km NE of Bordeaux-M‚rignac Airport (BOD) – ÿ France
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16
Component Affected: Flight Control System (specifically, the pilot-flying and non-pilot-flying coordination during the critical descent phase).Flight Control System (specifically, the pilot-flying and non-pilot-flying coordination during the critical descent phase).
Investigating Agency: BEABEA
Category: Accident
An Embraer 120RT Brasilia turboprop plane crashed into trees during approach to Bordeaux-M‚rignac Airport (BOD) in France, resulting in the deaths of all sixteen occupants. The flight, operated by Air Littoral, departed Brussels at 13:30 with the copilot as Pilot Flying and the captain as Pilot Monitoring. The flight was vectored for an ILS approach to runway 23, with poor visibility and a RVR of 650-350 meters. The aircraft crossed the KERAG beacon and requested a holding pattern south of the airport. The weather conditions deteriorated, with visibility decreasing to 100 feet and a RVR of 650 meters, prompting the pilot to request a holding pattern. Despite initial improvements, the flight continued to descend to 2000 feet, and the pilot decided to attempt a direct approach to the BD beacon. During the descent, the aircraft unexpectedly dropped below the glide slope, and the crew initiated emergency procedures. The captain, attempting to continue the approach, ultimately lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a catastrophic crash.An Embraer 120RT Brasilia turboprop plane crashed into trees during approach to Bordeaux-M‚rignac Airport (BOD) in France, resulting in the deaths of all sixteen occupants. The flight, operated by Air Littoral, departed Brussels at 13:30 with the copilot as Pilot Flying and the captain as Pilot Monitoring. The flight was vectored for an ILS approach to runway 23, with poor visibility and a RVR of 650-350 meters. The aircraft crossed the KERAG beacon and requested a holding pattern south of the airport. The weather conditions deteriorated, with visibility decreasing to 100 feet and a RVR of 650 meters, prompting the pilot to request a holding pattern. Despite initial improvements, the flight continued to descend to 2000 feet, and the pilot decided to attempt a direct approach to the BD beacon. During the descent, the aircraft unexpectedly dropped below the glide slope, and the crew initiated emergency procedures. The captain, attempting to continue the approach, ultimately lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a catastrophic crash.

Description

An Embraer 120RT Brasilia turboprop plane, operated by Air Littoral, was destroyed when it crashed into trees while on approach to Bordeaux-M‚rignac Airport (BOD), France. All sixteen occupants were killed. The airplane operated Air France flight 1919 from Bordeaux, France to Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU), Belgium, and Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS), the Netherlands and return. However, poor weather at Amsterdam forced the crew to cancel the flight leg to Schiphol Airport. AF1919 departed Brussels at 13:30 with the copilot as Pilot Flying and the captain as Pilot Monitoring. It reached the Bordeaux area without incident. The crew contacted Bordeaux Approach at 15:01 and were vectored for an ILS approach to runway 23. Visibility was poor with low clouds at 100 feet and a runway visual range (RVR) of between 650 and 350 metres. Flight 1919 crossed the KERAG beacon, the initial approach fix (IAF) at an altitude of FL144, at 15:04:40. Cloud base was still around 100 feet so the crew requested to enter a holding pattern to the south of the airport. The weather conditions slightly improved during the next few minutes and Bordeaux Approach reported a cloud base at 160 feet. Flight 1919 had not reached the holding pattern yet and the pilot decided to attempt to rejoin the ILS. At 15:06:38 the flight was cleared direct to the BD beacon and to descend down to 2000 feet. At the BD beacon, the flight was cleared for final approach and instructed to contact Bordeaux Tower. The airplane had overshot the centreline and was slighty right on the glidepath. Bordeaux Tower then instructed the flight to report over the Outer Marker, which was acknowledged by the captain. After crossing the Outer Marker, the airplane was still not properly established on the ILS. The airplane descended below the glideslope with the crew hurriedly deploying flaps and landing gear. The captain did not contact Bordeaux Tower as requested. Instead he took over control of the airplane, attempting to continue the approach. Both crew members had very little time to adapt to their new roles as the airplane was descending below the glide slope. The descent continued until it struck trees and crashed at 15:10:18. CAUSES (translated from French): The accident was the direct result of poorly managed aircraft trajectory. – The lack of vigilance with respect to altitude, by one pilot and then the other, when they were in a pilot-flying situation (PF, according to the Air Littoral Operations Manual) both when the aircraft descended out of the ILS beam through 2000 feet altitude and when it descended below 220 feet, the decision height. – Inadequate coordination of tasks between the two pilots who formed the flight crew, neither of which had performed important tasks related to this function, such as monitoring and reporting ILS or altitude deviations, while in a nonpilot-flying situation (PNF, according to the same manual).

Primary Cause

Inadequate coordination of tasks between the two pilots, particularly during the critical phases of the approach and descent, leading to a loss of situational awareness and a failure to adequately monitor altitude and RVR.Inadequate coordination of tasks between the two pilots, particularly during the critical phases of the approach and descent, leading to a loss of situational awareness and a failure to adequately monitor altitude and RVR.

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