Fatal Crash During Positioning Flight to Leeds/Bradford (G-MDJI)

A pilot was killed when a single-occupant aircraft crashed on a hill 3.4 km short of runway 14 at Leeds/Bradford during a positioning flight from Teesside. Poor visibility and a steep 3.5-degree approach angle were key factors.

Probable cause

The official findings indicated that the accident was influenced by communication and approach profile factors. At the time of the accident, the QNH was 1008 and the QFE was 983. The commander initially failed to read back this information to the controller, a required procedure, and the controller did not request a readback, which is recommended by the Manual of Air Traffic Services. The prescribed descent angle for a Localiser/DME approach to runway 14 at Leeds/Bradford Airport is 3.5 degrees. While a standard 3-degree descent angle is easily calculated and flown using a formula of 300 feet per nautical mile, a 3.5-degree descent is more difficult to calculate and achieve, particularly in single-pilot operations. An aircraft on a 3.5-degree approach angle with a pressure setting of 998 mb would have passed approximately 100 feet above the accident site, whereas a 3-degree approach would have resulted in ground contact in the area of the site.