What happened
During a flight originating from Oslo, the crew began their descent toward Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport amidst challenging weather conditions. The aircraft was permitted to descend through successive altitudes of 5,000 feet and 1,500 feet. As the crew attempted to intercept the Instrument Landing System (ILS) for runway 22L during the final approach phase, the four-engine aircraft experienced a sudden nose-down pitch. The plane subsequently fell into the Øresund, impacting the water a few hundred meters from Saltholm Island.
Of the individuals on board, three passengers were initially pulled from the wreckage. However, the accident resulted in a total of 31 fatalities, as one of the survivors succumbed to their injuries three days after the event.
Findings
Investigations into the crash focused on the loss of control that occurred precisely as the aircraft was attempting to intercept the glideslope for runway 22L. While investigators could not definitively pinpoint a single trigger, the evidence suggests that loss of longitudinal stability was the primary factor. It is believed that while in its landing configuration, the aircraft suffered from a significant reduction in airflow over the tailplane, leading to the fatal descent.