What happened
During a nighttime approach to Mahón Airport under conditions of poor visibility, the flight crew lost visual contact with the runway. In response to the loss of visual cues, the captain issued an instruction to perform a go-around. However, due to confusion within the cockpit, the aircraft continued its descent along the approach path until it made contact with the runway surface. The impact was severe, recorded at a positive acceleration of 3.56 G.
Following the strike, the captain assumed direct control of the aircraft and successfully executed a go-around. The crew then elected to divert the flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the aircraft was able to land safely.
Findings
- All 89 occupants on board were evacuated without injury.
- The aircraft sustained severe structural damage and was subsequently declared a total loss.
- The primary factor in the incident was confusion regarding the execution of the go-around procedure during low-visibility conditions.