What happened
On the morning of the accident, a Loganair flight was scheduled to travel from Kirkwall to the islands of Stronsely and Sanday. Due to misty conditions and low cloud cover in Kirkwall, the departure was initially delayed. After receiving reports that visibility at Sanday was approximately 1.5 miles, the pilot proceeded with the flight in a BN-2 Islander under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
After an initial stop at Stronsay to exchange passengers, the aircraft departed for Sanday. During the transit, the pilot encountered low patchy stratus and reduced visibility. To remain below the cloud layer, the pilot maintained an altitude of 300 feet and a reduced airspeed of 90 knots. While attempting to position the aircraft for a downwind approach to runway 11, the pilot lost sight of the airfield due to deteriorating weather and climbed to 600 feet.
Seeking to re-establish navigation via map-reading, the pilot descended back to 300 feet near the northwest coast of Sanday. While attempting to locate the specific turning point for the final approach, the pilot navigated around the perimeter of the aerodrome. During the final approach, using a local school as a visual reference, the aircraft's speed decreased significantly. The left wing dropped, triggering the stall warning system, but the descent could not be arrested despite full throttle. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 450 feet short of the runway threshold, turning 55 degrees to the left. Following the impact, the aircraft continued across a quarry and several barbed wire fences before coming to a final stop. There were zero fatalities among the passengers and crew.
Findings
- The pilot elected to continue low-level VFR operations in weather conditions that were unsuitable for the task.
- A lack of experience regarding the specific navigational requirements of the flight contributed to the loss of situational awareness.