What happened
During the final approach phase, the pilot of the Fokker was attempting to land with the landing gear extended and flaps set to 40 degrees. During this maneuver, the flight crew identified that the aircraft was maintaining too much altitude on the glide path. In an attempt to correct the descent, the ground fine pitch setting was engaged while the plane was still at approximately 1,000 feet.
This configuration change resulted in the aircraft entering a sharp and steep descent toward the runway. The Fokker struck the runway surface with significant force on its main landing gear. The impact was severe enough to cause a structural failure in the center section of the wing. Following the touchdown, the aircraft slid along the ground for a distance of roughly 400 meters before coming to a complete stop.
Findings
- The primary factor contributing to the accident was an incorrect approach configuration following the selection of ground fine pitch.
- There were zero injuries reported among the occupants of the aircraft.