What happened
During a nighttime charter operation from Southend to Helsinki, a twin-engine aircraft was performing its final approach to runway 22 at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. The flight was carrying eight people in total, consisting of one pilot and seven passengers. As the aircraft approached the runway, the pilot attempted to decrease the airspeed. During this maneuver, the plane lost altitude and descended beneath the minimum descent altitude (MDA). The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground in a snow-covered field situated approximately one kilometer before the runway threshold, where it came to rest in an inverted position.
The accident resulted in seven fatalities and one serious injury among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the pilot encountered difficulties managing both altitude and airspeed during the approach procedure. The pilot attempted to reduce power by pulling both speed levers backward; however, a mechanical issue was discovered regarding the flight idle gate. This component was found to be worn, which permitted the speed levers to move past the intended stopping point and into the idle position. This unintended reduction to idle power caused the aircraft to lose necessary airspeed and altitude.
Several contributing factors were also noted by investigators:
- The pilot lacked adequate experience operating this specific aircraft type
- Training regarding these flight operations was deemed insufficient
- The accident took place under challenging instrument flight conditions