What happened
On 9 September 2022, a Beech F33A, registration G-MOAC, was conducting a private flight from Guernsey to Alderney. During the approach to Runway 26, the pilot encountered significant visual impairment caused by the low evening sun. While the pilot could identify the approach lighting system, the glare prevented the sighting of the runway threshold, edge lights, or the Abbreviable Precision Approach Path Indicator (APAPI).
As the pilot focused on searching for visual references, the aircraft descended below the established glidepath. The aircraft struck the final three approach light masts and a threshold light. The impact caused the aircraft's fuel tanks to rupture, resulting in a fuel spill. After contacting the runway surface, the aircraft traveled a short distance before veering right and coming to a stop on the grass of Runway 03/21. All three occupants (one crew and two passengers) disembarked the aircraft without injury, though the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the approach and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators noted that the sun was positioned low in the sky and aligned with the runway, creating intense glare. It was also noted that micro-scratches on the aircraft's windscreen likely exacerbated the light refraction, further obscuring the pilot's view of the runway environment.
Analysis of the impact site indicated that the aircraft was already below the level of the airfield when it struck the first light mast. The most significant damage to the right wing occurred at the second mast, at which point the aircraft likely made contact with the ground.
Findings
- The pilot lost visual contact with the runway due to intense solar glare.
- The lack of visibility of the APAPI deprived the pilot of critical vertical guidance.
- Micro-scratches on the windscreen contributed to the difficulty in maintaining visual references.
- The pilot did not initiate a go-around despite the degraded visual conditions.