What happened
On 22 June 2003, a CRJ-100, registration F-GRJS, was performing a scheduled flight from Nantes Atlantique to Brest-Guipavas under the operation of Brit Air for Air France. The flight, carrying twenty-one passengers and a crew of three, was operating under IFR flight rules and had experienced a delay of approximately fifty minutes earlier in the day.
During the descent toward Brest, the crew diverted from their original path to avoid thunderstorm activity. As the aircraft approached the airport, weather conditions included fog and a low cloud base of 200 feet. The aircraft was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 26 Left, which was temporarily restricted to Category I due to ongoing airfield works.
As the aircraft descended, the autopilot was engaged in Heading and Vertical Speed modes. While the crew performed landing checklists and configured the aircraft with flaps and landing gear, a northwest wind caused the plane to drift left of the localizer centerline. The crew did not initially notice this lateral deviation. The aircraft subsequently passed below the glide slope and continued to drift further from the centerline.
Between 21:50 and 21:51, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) issued multiple alerts, including "Glide slope" and "Sink rate." Although the pilot attempted a go-around by increasing engine thrust, the aircraft's attitude remained negative. At 21:51:22, the aircraft struck the ground, hit several obstacles, and came to rest 450 meters left of the runway centerline. The impact was followed by a fire that destroyed the aircraft. There was one fatality, involving the pilot, while the remaining crew and all passengers successfully evacuated.
Findings
- The aircraft drifted left of the localizer centerline due to wind-induced lateral deviation that went unnoticed by the flight crew.
- The aircraft remained below the glide slope for the duration of the final approach phase.