Fokker F27 Cargo Flight to Guernsey Crashes Short of Runway (G-CHNL)

Flight Details and Approach Sequence A Fokker F27 was operating a cargo flight to Guernsey, carrying newspapers, when it departed Luton at 16:14 and climbed to a cruising altitude of FL150/160. The descent began approximately 60 miles from Guernsey Airport, and the aircraft was vectored onto final approach by Jersey Radar. The approach checklist was completed, and the flaps were lowered to 16° just before the aircraft was turned to intercept the ILS localizer. With less than six miles remaining to the threshold, the commander told the first officer that he could see the runway and was content to continue the approach visually. The first officer informed air traffic control of the intention to continue visually, and the appropriate clearance was issued. Control of the aircraft was then handed over to Guernsey Tower. ## Cockpit Events and Loss of Control Initially, the aerodrome controller cleared the aircraft to continue the approach, noting that there was departing traffic on the runway. The commander called for flaps to 26°, followed by the landing checklist. About one minute later, the commander said “three whites,” indicating that he was aware the aircraft was slightly high on the glide path as shown by the precision approach path indicator lights. The first officer acknowledged the statement. The commander then said, “ok the decision is to land, speed below one four four, flaps forty.” The first officer acknowledged the instruction to select flaps to 40° and announced “running.” After a pause of about five seconds, the first officer said, “flaps forty gear and clearance you have - oops.” The commander then said, in an anxious tone, “ok flaps twenty six,” and the engines could be heard accelerating on the cockpit voice recording. A number of expletives from the commander followed, interspersed with loud clicks as controls or switches were operated, and the sound of a warning horn, which stopped before the end of the recording. ## Crash and Official Findings On approach, the aircraft had lost control, attaining a nose-high attitude. The plane stalled, clipped a house on Forest Road with its left wing, and ploughed into a field short of the runway. The investigation identified the following causal factors: (i) the aircraft was operated outside the load and balance limitations; (ii) loading distribution errors went undetected because the load sheet signatories did not reconcile the cargo distribution in the aircraft with the load and balance sheet; and (iii) the crew received insufficient formal training in load management.