What happened
On 24 December 2002, a Swearing and Metroliner III, registration OY-BPH, was performing a positioning flight from Aberdeen Airport to Denmark. Shortly after departing Runway 16, the crew experienced a failure of the right engine. The aircraft began to yaw heavily to the right, and the crew noted a smell of smoke.
During the emergency, the commander feathered the right engine but did not retract the landing gear, as he believed the aircraft was not achieving a positive rate of climb. The aircraft's descent continued until it struck the ground approximately 500 metres to the right of the runway. The aircraft slid through a field and a hedgerow, eventually entering a public road where it collided with a moving car. A post-impact fire destroyed both the aircraft and the vehicle, though the two crew members and the occupants of the car escaped with only minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the cause of the right engine power loss and the subsequent flight path. While bird remains were discovered on the runway and evidence confirmed that the left engine had ingested birds, no evidence of bird ingestion was found in the right engine. Technical examinations of the right engine and its fuel control unit revealed no mechanical defects or failures that could explain the loss of power.
Investigators also examined the flight recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The CVR was found to have a faulty solder joint that prevented clear audio recording, while the FDR was found to be recording at a rate that did not meet the required safety standards for normal acceleration. Additionally, the investigation looked into the crew's training and adherence to operational requirements.
Findings
- The left engine had ingested birds, which likely caused the smoke smell noted by the crew, but this was not the cause of the right engine failure.
- The right engine power loss could not be attributed to any identified mechanical or fuel system defect.
- The commander's decision to retard the left engine power lever to extinguish a 'Bypass' light likely reduced the total available power during the climb.
- The crew did not apply sufficient corrective rudder to maintain directional control.
- The decision to leave the landing gear extended increased drag and hindered the aircraft's climb performance.
- There was a lack of adherence to JAR-OPS requirements regarding the pilot's conversion training and the FDR's sampling interval for acceleration.