What happened
On the evening of the accident, an Aer Lingus Shorts 360 was operating a scheduled flight from Dublin to East Midlands Airport. During the pre-flight stage, the crew noted that precision radar at the destination was unavailable and that only the PAPI was operational for approaches. Weather reports indicated overcast conditions with cloud tops at FL70 and potential icing risks. Additionally, previous pilot reports had highlighted severe icing in the vicinity of Birmingham.
The flight departed at 17:25. During the initial climb to FL90, the crew activated the wing and tail de-icing systems while flying above the cloud layer. As the aircraft descended through FL60 into dense clouds, the crew engaged the anti-ice system for the engine intakes, propellers, and probes, but did not activate the wing or tail de-icing equipment per standard procedure. At this altitude, the temperature was -6°C with a freezing level at 1000 feet. While flying through the clouds, the crew heard ice striking the fuselage from the propellers, though they could not visually confirm any ice buildup on the airframe.
As the aircraft descended through approximately 1000 feet on the ILS approach for runway 09, it experienced a sudden, sharp roll to the left. Despite corrective inputs using the rudder and ailerons, the aircraft entered an oscillating rolling motion that increased in severity for roughly 30 seconds. During this period, the aircraft entered a high-rate descent of nearly 3000 feet per minute. The aircraft eventually struck an 11 KV power cable, followed by a second cable, two wooden poles, and the tops of two trees, before coming to a stop in a wooded area near a barley field. There were zero fatalities as all passengers and the crew evacuated successfully.
Findings
Investigation into the accident suggests that a significant buildup of ice on the airframe degraded the stability and control of the Shorts 360. The difficulty in identifying clear ice formation during night operations likely prevented the timely use of the wing and tail de-icing systems. Additionally, turbulence or downdrafts may have played a role in the loss of control, while a delay in applying go-around power contributed to the impact with the power lines.