Accident Overview
Flight SWT704, a cargo flight from Palma de Mallorca to Barcelona, was conducted as an instruction flight. The co-pilot, who had not flown since March 20, 1998, occupied the left-hand seat for a refresher flight as "First officer under supervision." The initial plan to perform a missed approach with one engine on runway 25 was postponed due to difficulty; instead, the crew executed a standard approach with a simulated engine failure after crossing the glide path slightly above.
Final Approach
At 22:47:10, the crew contacted Barcelona control tower, which cleared them as number one and requested notification when established in final. After extending landing gear and flaps, the captain reported established at 22:49:55. The tower advised them to continue, noting a flight departing runway 25. At approximately 1,400 feet and 6 nautical miles from the threshold, the captain instructed "engine stop," and the co-pilot responded by raising the landing gear. Contrary to standard practice (which uses idle thrust to simulate zero thrust), the right engine was shut down completely with the propeller feathered.
Loss of Control
When the co-pilot pressed the wrong pedal, the aircraft deviated right. The captain attempted to restart the engine, but the propeller pitch change mechanism's guide rod bushing had seized, preventing the blades from reaching the necessary pitch for restart. The captain then took over and raised flaps incrementally, stating they would proceed with a single-engine landing. At 22:52:01, the captain called for landing gear, and the co-pilot lowered it. The stall warning sounded immediately afterward. The aircraft deviated right of the ILS localizer, rolled to nearly 90° left, then 90° right, then left again while losing altitude. The left wing struck the ground, and the aircraft crashed through the highway B-203 barrier and perimeter fence, coming to rest approximately 250 meters from the threshold of runway 25 and 100 meters to the right of the runway axis. The wreckage burst into flames.
Probable Cause
It is considered that the probable cause of the accident was the loss of control of the aircraft due to an excessive reduction of speed at low height, after having extended the landing gear, with an intermediate flap position, and with the right engine stopped and its propeller pitch close to feather.