Flight History
The Dassault-Breguet Falcon 20E was conducting an unscheduled charter cargo flight from Detroit Willow Run, Michigan, to Peterborough, Ontario. The flight occurred at night under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions.
First Two Approaches
Approaching Peterborough, the flight crew received clearance for a non-directional beacon runway 09 approach. They did not acquire the runway environment and executed a missed approach. Subsequently, they obtained another clearance for the same approach from Toronto Area Control Centre. During the second approach, the crew acquired the runway environment and maneuvered for landing on runway 09. The aircraft touched down near the runway midpoint, and the captain, who was pilot flying, elected to abort the landing.
Third Approach and Accident
After aborting, the captain conducted a left visual circuit for another landing attempt. As the aircraft turned onto final, the approach became unstabilized. The flight crew elected to overshoot; however, the aircraft pitched nose-down, banked left, and struck terrain. It traveled 400 feet through a plowed farm field, struck a tree line, and came to rest about 2000 feet before the runway 09 threshold, facing the opposite direction.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft was substantially damaged. No serious injuries occurred.
Probable Cause
The official findings cite the following causes and contributing factors: the captain's attempt to continue an unstable landing contrary to standard operating procedures and Federal Aviation Regulations; the crew conducting a circling approach rather than the briefed missed approach; the pilot losing situational awareness during the overshoot, likely due to somatogravic illusion; and breakdown in crew coordination, lack of planning and briefing, operating in dark instrument meteorological conditions with limited visual cues, and inadequate instrument monitoring.