Vancouver Airport Collision: Fatigued Crew and Poor Visibility Lead to Terminal Impact (N791SA)

Incident Overview and Immediate Sequence of Events An aircraft completed an approach to Vancouver Airport under poor visibility caused by foggy conditions. The horizontal visibility at the time of the accident was limited to 200 meters, and strong winds were present. The aircraft landed 1,000 feet past the runway threshold and to the right of the centerline. After touchdown, the captain decided to make a go-around, but control was lost. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, went through the tarmac, and eventually collided with a terminal building. ## Casualties and Damage The accident resulted in the deaths of the copilot and one person in the terminal. Seventeen occupants were injured, while 43 others were unhurt. The aircraft was considered damaged beyond repair. ## Contributing Factors The official findings determined that the approach configuration on part of the flying crew was wrong. Both pilots were on duty for more than 21 hours at the time of the accident, and their concentration and performances were diminished due to intense fatigue. The approach speed was reported to be too high, while the rate of descent was too low.