What happened
During a flight originating from Rome-Fiumicino, the crew initiated an approach to runway 32 at Marseille-Marignane Airport. Although the calculated approach speed was intended to be 120 knots, the aircraft approached the runway at approximately 183 knots. This discrepancy resulted from several errors and an incorrect configuration during the descent phase.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft made contact with the runway nose gear first and landed significantly further down the runway than intended. In an attempt to mitigate the situation, the captain deployed a tailchute; however, the device burst immediately because of the excessive airspeed. The crew was unable to decelerate the plane within the remaining runway length, leading to an overrun that ended in a crash into the Etang de Berre. The wreckage submerged to a depth of four meters.
All 44 occupants were successfully rescued from the aircraft, though four injuries were reported during the incident.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary factor was an incorrect approach procedure which led to the aircraft contacting the runway at a speed more than 60 knots above the planned parameters. The situation was further complicated by the deployment of the parachute at an unsafe velocity and the improper application of the emergency braking system.