Incident Overview
At 16:35, the flight received taxi clearance and departed gate 14B for runway 19. The aircraft was cleared for takeoff at 16:44. Shortly after liftoff, at an altitude of 200 feet above ground, the engine torque gauges began to fluctuate erratically, and the airplane began to yaw back and forth. The captain suspected that the Torque Temperature Limiting (TTL) system might be bypassing fuel to the engines, a condition that can occur when power levers are advanced too far forward.
Crew Actions
In response, the captain slightly decreased the power settings, which resulted in even greater torque oscillations and more pronounced yawing. Believing both engines were malfunctioning for unknown reasons, the captain decided to land back on runway 19, considering a 90-degree turn to runway 28 impossible.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft overran the runway, struck a 6-foot-high chain-link fence, hit a concrete barrier, and skidded across Route 61 highway before coming to rest in a parking lot.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was a breakdown of flight crew coordination, resulting in their failure to comply with the Before Takeoff Checklist and advance the RPM levers to the high RPM position. Additionally, the flight crew failed to diagnose and remedy engine oscillations during the initial climbout. Contributing to this failure was the fact that both crew members had limited experience in the BAe-3101 and extensive recent experience in other aircraft that use different RPM control lever procedures.