What happened
On March 11, 1964, a KLM Douglas DC-7C, registration PH-DSN, was operating flight KL 331 from Amsterdam to Geneva. The flight arrived approximately 30 minutes behind schedule. Upon approaching Geneva-Cointrin, the crew received weather updates indicating snow, a runway visual range of 1200 meters, and vertical visibility of only 300 feet.
In an attempt to recover lost time, the captain bypassed the standard descent procedure. Instead of following the prescribed pattern, the pilot intercepted the ILS glideslope at a high angle, approximately 2000 feet above the required altitude. Despite receiving warnings from the Precision Approach Radar (PAR) controller that the aircraft was significantly above the glideslope, the aircraft failed to intercept the descent path.
As the aircraft reached the minimum altitude, the pilot initially ordered a go-around. However, shortly after applying takeoff power, the co-pilot spotted runway lights through the fog. The captain immediately cut the power and continued the landing. The aircraft touched down on the final section of the runway. The crew was unable to stop the aircraft before it exited the pavement, eventually colliding with a wooden blast deflector 40 meters beyond the runway end.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the cockpit communications with the radar controller, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators reviewed the aircraft's performance capabilities, noting that while the aircraft had sufficient braking capacity for the runway conditions, the approach was fundamentally flawed. The investigation also analyzed the pilot's decision-making process regarding the transition from an instrument approach to a visual landing under low-visibility conditions.
Findings
- The approach was objectively missed because the pilot intercepted the ILS at too high an altitude to properly descend.
- The pilot attempted to force a landing without knowing his exact position relative to the remaining runway length.
- The decision to bypass the standard descent procedure was motivated by a desire to compensate for the flight's delay.
- The crew was operating in critical weather conditions involving snow and extremely low vertical visibility.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage to its engines, propellers, and flaps, and the blast deflector was destroyed, though there were no fatalities or injuries among the 25 passengers and 6 crew members.