Synopsis
On 24 December 2002, a Swearingen SA227-AC Metroliner III, registration OY-BPH, was operating a positioning flight from Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, to Denmark. Shortly after takeoff from Runway 16, the crew detected a right engine failure. The commander feathered the right engine but did not raise the landing gear. The aircraft descended and impacted the ground approximately 500 metres to the right of the runway. During the subsequent ground slide, it entered a public road and collided with a moving car. Bird remains were found on the runway, and evidence indicated that the left engine had ingested birds. The right engine showed no signs of bird ingestion and no defects were identified.
Background
The aircraft had been leased to support a UK mail contract and arrived at Aberdeen from Aalborg, Denmark, on 9 December 2002. It operated flights within Scotland until 23 December 2002 with the same two pilots. On 24 December, with no mail requirement, the crew decided to fly directly to their home airport in Denmark. The aircraft had been refuelled the previous day, with a total fuel load of 2,200 lb and a take-off weight of 12,000 lb (maximum 16,000 lb). The co-pilot was the designated handling pilot.
History of the Flight
The crew arrived at Aberdeen Airport at approximately 0630 hrs. Weather at 0720 hrs reported surface wind 150°M/12 kt, visibility 2,500 metres in mist, scattered cloud at 100 ft and overcast at 200 ft, temperature +9°C, QNH 994 hPa. Low Visibility Procedures were in force. The aircraft started engines at 0736 hrs and taxied to Runway 16. At 0743 hrs, the crew received takeoff clearance with instructions for a left turn direct KARLI. The crew acknowledged. The controller observed initial movement then attended to another aircraft. Shortly after, she called for a report but received no reply. A witness reported an apparent crash south of the airfield.
During the reduced power takeoff roll with flaps ¼, power was set by the commander. Performance appeared normal. At VR (100 kt), the co-pilot rotated to 12-15° nose-up. After liftoff, the co-pilot detected a right yaw and a smell of smoke. He called an engine failure and requested maximum power. The commander noted the aircraft rolled 15° right and observed the right engine EGT at about 600°C, while the left engine indicated greater than 650°C with a fuel bypass light. He retarded the left power lever until the light extinguished. He later recalled a sound like a compressor stall from the right engine. The co-pilot heard a bank angle alert. As the aircraft turned right, the co-pilot reported inability to control. The commander pulled the right engine stop and feather control, but the aircraft struck the ground with the right wing. It slid through a field, through a fence, and onto a road, striking a car. The co-pilot evacuated via the left door; the commander shut down the left engine and activated fire extinguishers before exiting. The car appeared empty, and both pilots moved away. Emergency services responded by 0753 hrs; the fire was quickly extinguished with no serious injuries reported. The airport reopened at 0954 hrs.
Flight Recorder Information
The aircraft was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR), both tape-based and located at the rear. Both were heavily sooted but undamaged. Negative acceleration switches were tripped. On replay, the CVR had recorded very little audio on three crew channels and none on the area microphone channel due to an intermittent solder joint on a power supply component that had been previously replaced. The inadequate connection disabled the bias signal for recording and inhibited the +18V DC power source for the area microphone. Only three cycles of a GPWS "Bank Angle" alert and the final impact were recorded. The crew should have tested the CVR before engine start by depressing a test button, but it is not stated whether this was done.
Investigation Findings
Bird remains were found on Runway 16, and evidence indicated left engine bird ingestion. No bird ingestion or defect was identified in the right engine. The investigation identified a lack of adherence to Joint Aviation Requirements - Operations (JAR-OPS) relating to the FDR system and crew training.