What happened
On the night of 20 December 2001, a Cessna CE 560 Citation V, registration HB-VLV, was performing a ferry flight from Zurich to Berne-Belp. The aircraft, operated by Eagle Air Ltd., departed from runway 34 at Zurich-Kloten Airport under conditions of low visibility. Shortly after the takeoff sequence, the aircraft lost altitude and struck the ground.
The investigation
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) examined the aircraft's flight data and cockpit voice recordings, as well as the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation focused on the aircraft's performance during the climb and the adequacy of the cockpit instrumentation for the crew's operational needs. Investigators also reviewed the maintenance history and the regulatory framework governing the operator's flight procedures.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in poor visibility and at night.
- A significant safety deficiency was identified regarding the cockpit instrumentation: the primary instruments on the right-hand side, used by the pilot for aircraft control, were less suitable for flight monitoring than those on the left-hand side.
- The instrumentation was not optimized for a two-man crew operating in instrument meteorological conditions, which hindered effective monitoring and control from both pilot positions.