What happened
On the flight from Dublin to Shannon, the aircraft departed with a payload of 14,000 lbs, significantly under its maximum capacity. After reaching an altitude of FL120, the crew received descent instructions from Shannon Approach. Due to weather considerations, the crew opted to use 78% flaps for the landing instead of the standard 100% setting. During the descent, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) activated at 700 feet, and the Flight Engineer subsequently inhibited the system. As the aircraft approached the runway threshold, the crew heard a scraping sound and felt intense vibrations, followed by a gear warning horn. The Captain initiated a go-around.
During the climb, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions at approximately 500 to 600 feet. At this stage, the propeller assembly and a portion of the No. 3 engine detached from the aircraft and fell to the ground. This event caused a loss of electrical power, leaving the crew with only the standby artificial horizon and a wet compass for navigation. The First Officer transferred control to the Captain, who struggled to maintain directional control due to excessive yaw. The aircraft was unable to reach its cleared altitude of 3000 feet, peaking at less than 2000 feet before turning toward high ground near Limerick.
To stabilize the aircraft, the crew manipulated the throttles and feathered the No. 4 engine. This allowed them to regain enough control to follow ATC vectors for a second approach to Runway 24. At this point, only the No. 1 engine was fully operational, while the No. 2 engine was producing limited power and significant vibration. The crew successfully deployed the landing gear and landed the aircraft using 78% flaps. Following the landing, an evacuation was performed while emergency services remained on standby. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in the source text.
Findings
- The crew inhibited the GPWS system after the warning horn sounded at 700 feet.
- The detachment of the propeller assembly and part of the No. 3 engine caused a loss of electrical power and severe directional instability.
- The aircraft suffered from insufficient climb performance and significant engine power loss during the emergency.