Court Line Flight 95
Encyclopedia
Court Line Flight 95 was an international charter flight from London Luton Airport
, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, to Munich-Riem Airport
, West Germany
, operated on 18 April 1974 by Court Line (Aviation) Ltd BAC One-Eleven 518
G-AXMJ. During its take-off run, Piper PA-23 Aztec G-AYDE of McAlpine Aviation
entered the active runway without permission. Although the pilots of the One-Eleven
tried to take avoiding action, a collision between the two aircraft occurred, killing the pilot of the Aztec and injuring his passenger. The pilots of the substantially damaged One-Eleven successfully aborted the take-off and all on board evacuated by means of the emergency slide
s. The Aztec was written off, but the One-Eleven was repaired and returned to service. Four recommendations were made as the result of the accident.
, Bedfordshire, UK, to Munich-Riem
, West Germany. At 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time
, the One-Eleven received permission to taxi to holding point Delta where it was to await clearance. At 15:24 GMT
, permission was granted for the One-Eleven to enter runway 08/26 and backtrack
along Runway 08, where the aircraft was to hold at the threshold awaiting permission to take-off. The One-Eleven reported it was entering Runway 08/26 between 15:25:14 and 15:25:23. At 15:25:32, the Aztec reported that it was ready to taxi. Information was given to the pilot of the Aztec that the wind was from 300° at 10 knots (19.6 km/h) and the pilot was offered a choice of runway 08 or runway 26 for take-off. He chose to take-off from runway 26. At about 15:26, the Aztec was instructed "Cleared to Alfa Two Six", This was non-standard phraseology, The correct instruction should have been "Cleared to holding point Alfa, Runway Two Six". This non-standard phraseology was a causal factor in the accident. In the meantime, the One-Eleven had received clearance to take-off at 15:25:24 and reported that it was rolling at 15:27:31. At 15:27:49, the Aztec was asked to report when it was ready for take-off, to which the reply was that it would be ready in 30 seconds' time.
The Aztec then entered the active runway. The passenger on board the Aztec, who was also a pilot himself, queried the pilot via the intercom as to whether or not the aircraft had been cleared to enter the runway. He did not receive an answer, and by this time the aircraft had entered the runway. At this point, the One-Eleven had reached a speed of 100 knots (196 km/h) during its take-off run. The first officer was flying the aircraft at the time. The commander
, seeing the Aztec enter the runway from the left and realising it was not going to stop, took control of the aircraft. He fully opened both throttle
s and steered the aircraft to the right whilst attempting to lift the port
wing over the Aztec. The passenger in the Aztec saw the One-Eleven approaching and ducked before the collision occurred, but was unable to warn the pilot of the impending collision. The port wing of the One-Eleven sliced through the cabin of the Aztec, killing the pilot instantly and injuring the passenger. The Aztec was written off while the outer 6 metres (19.7 ft) of the One-Eleven's port wing was substantially damaged, resulting in fuel leaking from the tank contained therein. Use of full reverse thrust
and maximum braking enabled the take-off to be successfully aborted within the remaining runway length, with the damaged One-Eleven stopping 750 metres (820.2 yd) beyond the point of collision.
As there was a risk of fire from the leaking fuel, the commander ordered an emergency evacuation
of the aircraft. Although the rear doors opened as intended and the slide
s deployed, both forward doors required considerable force to open them before all on board could evacuate the aircraft. No injuries were sustained in the evacuation. The investigation subsequently was able to replicate the difficulty in opening both forward doors on the One-Eleven. It was discovered that inadequate guidance from the manufacturer of the escape slides meant that they were incorrectly stowed. One door had an incorrect part fitted. A warning was issued to all One-Eleven operators and the relevant aviation authorities concerning this issue.
After the accident, some airline pilots called for General Aviation
aircraft to be banned from using Luton. A view which was not supported by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
involved was registered
G-AXMJ, c/n H204, which had been built in February 1970. Following the accident, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service. In February 1975, it was re-registered G-BCWG before entering service with Monarch Airlines
.the aircraft was re-registered to avoid its being impounded at overseas airports in lieu of user charges owed by the then bankrupt Court Line The aircraft was subsequently sold on to Philippine Airlines
, which had it re-registered RP-C1189.
and one concerning the radio installation in aircraft.
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, to Munich-Riem Airport
Munich-Riem Airport
Munich-Riem Airport was the main, international airport of Munich until it was closed down on 16 May 1992, the day before the new airport near Freising commenced operation. It was located near the old village of Riem in the Munich borough of Trudering-Riem.-History:Construction on the airport...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, operated on 18 April 1974 by Court Line (Aviation) Ltd BAC One-Eleven 518
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
G-AXMJ. During its take-off run, Piper PA-23 Aztec G-AYDE of McAlpine Aviation
Alfred McAlpine
Alfred McAlpine plc was a British construction firm headquartered in London. It was a major road builder, and constructed over 10% of Britain's motorways, including the M6 Toll...
entered the active runway without permission. Although the pilots of the One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
tried to take avoiding action, a collision between the two aircraft occurred, killing the pilot of the Aztec and injuring his passenger. The pilots of the substantially damaged One-Eleven successfully aborted the take-off and all on board evacuated by means of the emergency slide
Evacuation slide
An evacuation slide is an inflatable slide used to evacuate an aircraft quickly. An escape slide is required on all commercial aircraft where the door sill height is such that, in the event of an evacuation, passengers would be unable to "step down" from the door uninjured An evacuation slide is...
s. The Aztec was written off, but the One-Eleven was repaired and returned to service. Four recommendations were made as the result of the accident.
Accident
Flight 95 was an international charter flight from LutonLondon Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
, Bedfordshire, UK, to Munich-Riem
Munich-Riem Airport
Munich-Riem Airport was the main, international airport of Munich until it was closed down on 16 May 1992, the day before the new airport near Freising commenced operation. It was located near the old village of Riem in the Munich borough of Trudering-Riem.-History:Construction on the airport...
, West Germany. At 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
, the One-Eleven received permission to taxi to holding point Delta where it was to await clearance. At 15:24 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
, permission was granted for the One-Eleven to enter runway 08/26 and backtrack
Backtaxi
Backtaxi is an airport ground procedure which involves the use of any portion of a runway as a taxiway for an aircraft to taxi in the opposite direction from which it will take off or has landed...
along Runway 08, where the aircraft was to hold at the threshold awaiting permission to take-off. The One-Eleven reported it was entering Runway 08/26 between 15:25:14 and 15:25:23. At 15:25:32, the Aztec reported that it was ready to taxi. Information was given to the pilot of the Aztec that the wind was from 300° at 10 knots (19.6 km/h) and the pilot was offered a choice of runway 08 or runway 26 for take-off. He chose to take-off from runway 26. At about 15:26, the Aztec was instructed "Cleared to Alfa Two Six", This was non-standard phraseology, The correct instruction should have been "Cleared to holding point Alfa, Runway Two Six". This non-standard phraseology was a causal factor in the accident. In the meantime, the One-Eleven had received clearance to take-off at 15:25:24 and reported that it was rolling at 15:27:31. At 15:27:49, the Aztec was asked to report when it was ready for take-off, to which the reply was that it would be ready in 30 seconds' time.
The Aztec then entered the active runway. The passenger on board the Aztec, who was also a pilot himself, queried the pilot via the intercom as to whether or not the aircraft had been cleared to enter the runway. He did not receive an answer, and by this time the aircraft had entered the runway. At this point, the One-Eleven had reached a speed of 100 knots (196 km/h) during its take-off run. The first officer was flying the aircraft at the time. The commander
Pilot in command
The pilot in command of an aircraft is the person aboard the aircraft who is ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight. This would be the "captain" in a typical two- or three-pilot flight crew, or "pilot" if there is only one certified and qualified pilot at the controls of...
, seeing the Aztec enter the runway from the left and realising it was not going to stop, took control of the aircraft. He fully opened both throttle
Aircraft engine controls
Aircraft engine controls provide a means for the pilot to control and monitor the operation of the aircraft's powerplant. This article describes controls used with a basic internal-combustion engine driving a propeller. Some optional or more advanced configurations are described at the end of the...
s and steered the aircraft to the right whilst attempting to lift the port
Port and starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms which refer to the left and right sides, respectively, of a ship or aircraft as perceived by a person on board facing the bow . At night, the port side of a vessel is indicated with a red navigation light and the starboard side with a green one.The starboard...
wing over the Aztec. The passenger in the Aztec saw the One-Eleven approaching and ducked before the collision occurred, but was unable to warn the pilot of the impending collision. The port wing of the One-Eleven sliced through the cabin of the Aztec, killing the pilot instantly and injuring the passenger. The Aztec was written off while the outer 6 metres (19.7 ft) of the One-Eleven's port wing was substantially damaged, resulting in fuel leaking from the tank contained therein. Use of full reverse thrust
Thrust reversal
Thrust reversal, also called reverse thrust, is the temporary diversion of an aircraft engine's exhaust or changing of propeller pitch so that the thrust produced is directed forward, rather than aft. This acts against the forward travel of the aircraft, providing deceleration...
and maximum braking enabled the take-off to be successfully aborted within the remaining runway length, with the damaged One-Eleven stopping 750 metres (820.2 yd) beyond the point of collision.
As there was a risk of fire from the leaking fuel, the commander ordered an emergency evacuation
Emergency aircraft evacuation
Emergency aircraft evacuation refers to emergency evacuation from an aircraft which may take place on the ground, in water, or mid-flight. There are standard evacuation procedures and special evacuation equipment.-Commercial airplanes:...
of the aircraft. Although the rear doors opened as intended and the slide
Evacuation slide
An evacuation slide is an inflatable slide used to evacuate an aircraft quickly. An escape slide is required on all commercial aircraft where the door sill height is such that, in the event of an evacuation, passengers would be unable to "step down" from the door uninjured An evacuation slide is...
s deployed, both forward doors required considerable force to open them before all on board could evacuate the aircraft. No injuries were sustained in the evacuation. The investigation subsequently was able to replicate the difficulty in opening both forward doors on the One-Eleven. It was discovered that inadequate guidance from the manufacturer of the escape slides meant that they were incorrectly stowed. One door had an incorrect part fitted. A warning was issued to all One-Eleven operators and the relevant aviation authorities concerning this issue.
After the accident, some airline pilots called for General Aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
aircraft to be banned from using Luton. A view which was not supported by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Guild was established in 1929 and was granted the status of a Livery Company in 1956...
BAC One-Eleven
The BAC One-Eleven 518BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
involved was registered
Aircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
G-AXMJ, c/n H204, which had been built in February 1970. Following the accident, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service. In February 1975, it was re-registered G-BCWG before entering service with Monarch Airlines
Monarch Airlines
Monarch Airlines, often shortened to and trading as Monarch, is a British charter and scheduled airline based at London Luton Airport in Luton. It is one of the United Kingdom's largest charter airlines, operating to Europe, the United States, the Caribbean, India and Africa, serving mainly leisure...
.the aircraft was re-registered to avoid its being impounded at overseas airports in lieu of user charges owed by the then bankrupt Court Line The aircraft was subsequently sold on to Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
, which had it re-registered RP-C1189.
Piper Aztec
The Piper PA-23 Aztec involved was registered G-AYDE, c/n 27-3807. Manufactured in 1967, it had previously been registered N6516Y in the United States, before being sold to McAlpine Aviation in 1970.Investigation
The Accident was investigated by the Accidents Investigation Branch. The final report was issued on 26 February 1975. The cause of the accident was found to be that the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without permission. Non-standard phraseology by the controller at Luton was found to be a contributory factor. The ground markings and signage at Luton was found to be compliant with the legislation then existing. No stop bars or stop lights were provided, nor were they required by law. The pilots were not informed by radio of each others movements, so may have been unaware that the runway was being used for departures in both directions. Although the radio installation on the Aztec conformed to legislation then existing, its arrangement was criticised as the passenger/co-pilot could not hear in his headset transmissions made by the pilot. Four recommendations were made; three concerning the operation of Luton AirportLondon Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
and one concerning the radio installation in aircraft.