What happened
On the morning of the incident, a charter flight departed from Melle-Grönegau Airport at 07:36 local time, bound for Poznań. The flight was operated with two pilots and four passengers on board. During the descent to an altitude of 7,000 feet, the crew received updates regarding deteriorating weather conditions at the destination, noting a ceiling of 200 feet and visibility of 700 metres.
As the aircraft was cleared to descend toward runway 29, further reports indicated that fog patches were affecting the area, causing the Runway Visual Range (RVR) to decrease to 350 metres. While on short final approach at approximately 500 feet, the crew could not visually identify the runway or approach lights. In response to the lack of visibility, the captain initiated a go-around maneuver.
During this procedure, the aircraft made contact with the ground to the left of the runway. The force of the impact caused the undercarriage to be ripped from the airframe. The aircraft continued to slide for roughly 150 metres before coming to a halt, at which point the left wing and both engines were separated from the fuselage. Despite the significant damage to the aircraft, all six occupants escaped the wreckage without injury.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the inability to maintain visual contact with the runway environment during the approach due to heavy fog and low visibility.