Synopsis
On 24 November 2014, a Gulfstream III (G-1159A) registered N103CD departed from Biggin Hill Airport, Kent, for a private flight to Gander International Airport. During takeoff in conditions of reduced visibility, the crew mistakenly aligned the aircraft with runway edge lights instead of the runway centreline. The aircraft ran off the paved surface onto grass, and the commander rejected the takeoff. The aircraft sustained damage beyond economic repair, but no injuries were reported.
History of the Flight
The crew reported for duty at 1840 hrs for a 2030 hrs departure. Weather at 2020 hrs included calm wind, visibility greater than 10 km with fog patches, and a temperature of 5°C. At 2024 hrs, the crew was cleared to taxi to Holding Point J1 for Runway 03. The controller advised of low-level fog patches on the airfield, with general visibility exceeding 10 km but visibility not measured within the patches. At 2028 hrs, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff. The aircraft taxied from J1 but lined up with runway edge lights positioned 3 m to the right of the runway edge. The takeoff run began at 2030 hrs, and after traversing approximately 248 m of paved surface, the aircraft ran onto grass. The commander, who was handling the aircraft, closed the thrust levers to reject the takeoff. The aircraft came to a halt on the grass after suffering major structural damage. The crew shut down the engines and evacuated; the co-pilot confirmed no injuries. The controller, seeing the aircraft stop but unaware it was off the runway, activated the crash alarm at 2032 hrs. Airport fire services reached the aircraft at 2034 hrs and declared an accident.
Accident Site and Damage
Biggin Hill Airport, originally a military airfield, features an Operational Readiness Platform (ORP) at the start of Runway 03. The ORP is a 250 m long, 36 m wide paved surface with a 30° slant to the runway. Surface-mounted red runway edge lights, spaced 61 m apart, were located approximately 3 m from the white line marking the runway edge. The aircraft's tyre marks indicated that on exiting Taxiway J, it entered the ORP with the left main wheels in line with these red lights. After starting the takeoff, the aircraft continued parallel to the runway for 248 m before leaving the paved area. The wheels sank about 0.25 m into soft ground, and the nosewheel oscillated. After traveling 120 m across the grass, the nose landing gear and radome detached. The aircraft came to rest 424 m from the start of the ORP. Structural damage included a 6.5 m long tear in the lower fuselage from the nose landing gear separation, damage to frames, detached aerials, and a crease and rupture in the fuselage skin above the cabin. The aircraft was assessed as beyond economic repair.
Recorded Data
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was a tape-based unit whose drive motor had failed, yielding no recording. The flight data recorder (FDR), though fitted, provided only basic parameters and insufficiently reliable data. Three iPads were recovered; two recorded the aircraft's track via built-in GPS. One recording showed motion from 2025 to 2030 hrs, with a maximum ground speed of approximately 70 kt. CCTV footage from a camera east of the runway captured low-level fog patches drifting across the airfield. The footage also showed that lights from hangars and apron areas appeared significantly brighter than the runway lights, though this contrast was not fully represented due to image saturation.
Aerodrome Information
The crew used an iPad aerodrome chart updated via subscription. The authoritative source is the Biggin Hill Airport Aerodrome Chart in the UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). The displayed sections showed the area between Holding Point J1 and Runway 03.