Dan-Air Flight 0034
Encyclopedia
Dan-Air Flight 0034 was an oil industry support charter operated by a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop
aircraft from Sumburgh Airport
, Shetland Islands
to Aberdeen Airport
. The aircraft failed to take off and crashed into the sea 50 m (164 ft) offshore on 31 July 1979. Of the 44 passengers and 3 crew members 17 people – including both pilots – died of drowning.
The aircraft was cleared for takeoff at 15:59 hours and the engines were accelerated while the aircraft was held back by its brakes. The takeoff run commenced at exactly 16:00 hours. Evidence later retrieved from the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder
showed that it accelerated normally through the V1 decision speed of 92 kn (50.1 m/s), to its V2 takeoff safety speed of 99 kn (53.9 m/s). However, no rotation
was carried out even though the aircraft significantly exceeded its VR vertical rotation speed of 113 kn (61.5 m/s).
About 5 seconds after reaching the scheduled rotation speed the aircraft began to decelerate. It crossed the aircraft perimeter road, passed over the inclined sea defences, and came to rest in the sea 50 m (164 ft) from the shoreline. The aircraft sank in about one minute in about 10 m (32.8 ft) of water. 29 passengers and the flight attendant were rescued or managed to swim ashore despite the adverse weather conditions. Despite rescue attempts mounted by boat and helicopter, 15 passengers and the 2 pilots died by drowning.
The entire wreckage was salvaged and removed for more detailed examination; additional damage resulted from the action of the sea and the salvage operation. Both engines were stripped down and examined but no evidence of pre-impact failure was found. The propeller control units were tested and were discovered to perform within specification. No evidence of fire, smoke, or overheating was found.
It was not established whether the pilot or co-pilot handled the takeoff; though company regulations said that the commander should have performed this due to the co-pilot's inexperience, the compass selector was discovered to have been switched to the co-pilot's instrument. It was however considered possible that it had been moved during evacuation or salvage.
became re-engaged during the pilots' pre-takeoff checks, and that it was not noticed until the takeoff was so far advanced that a successful abandonment within the overrun area could not be made. The re-engagement of the gust-lock was made possible by the condition of the gust-lock lever gate plate and gate-stop strip, to which non-standard repairs had been made.
The aircraft had originally been bought new by Aerolíneas Argentinas
in 1962, and had later been operated by Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales
prior to being purchased by Dan-Air
in 1977.
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft from Sumburgh Airport
Sumburgh Airport
-Other tenants:*Maritime and Coastguard Agency *Bristow Helicopters*Bond Helicopters -Incidents and accidents:...
, Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
to Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
. The aircraft failed to take off and crashed into the sea 50 m (164 ft) offshore on 31 July 1979. Of the 44 passengers and 3 crew members 17 people – including both pilots – died of drowning.
Accident
The aircraft, G-BEKF, was engaged on charter flights between Aberdeen and Sumburgh, carrying oil company personnel. The inbound flight to Sumburgh was made without incident and the crew had a 7 hour stopover before making the return flight to Aberdeen, Dan-Air 0034, with 44 passengers on board.The aircraft was cleared for takeoff at 15:59 hours and the engines were accelerated while the aircraft was held back by its brakes. The takeoff run commenced at exactly 16:00 hours. Evidence later retrieved from the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder
Flight data recorder
A flight data recorder is an electronic device employed to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. It is a device used to record specific aircraft performance parameters...
showed that it accelerated normally through the V1 decision speed of 92 kn (50.1 m/s), to its V2 takeoff safety speed of 99 kn (53.9 m/s). However, no rotation
Takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
was carried out even though the aircraft significantly exceeded its VR vertical rotation speed of 113 kn (61.5 m/s).
About 5 seconds after reaching the scheduled rotation speed the aircraft began to decelerate. It crossed the aircraft perimeter road, passed over the inclined sea defences, and came to rest in the sea 50 m (164 ft) from the shoreline. The aircraft sank in about one minute in about 10 m (32.8 ft) of water. 29 passengers and the flight attendant were rescued or managed to swim ashore despite the adverse weather conditions. Despite rescue attempts mounted by boat and helicopter, 15 passengers and the 2 pilots died by drowning.
Investigation
The accident was notified by Sumburgh Air Traffic Control at 17:30 hours on 31 July 1979 and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch commenced an investigation the following morning.The entire wreckage was salvaged and removed for more detailed examination; additional damage resulted from the action of the sea and the salvage operation. Both engines were stripped down and examined but no evidence of pre-impact failure was found. The propeller control units were tested and were discovered to perform within specification. No evidence of fire, smoke, or overheating was found.
It was not established whether the pilot or co-pilot handled the takeoff; though company regulations said that the commander should have performed this due to the co-pilot's inexperience, the compass selector was discovered to have been switched to the co-pilot's instrument. It was however considered possible that it had been moved during evacuation or salvage.
Cause
It was concluded that the accident was caused by the locked condition of the aircraft's elevators which prevented the aircraft rotating into a flying attitude. It was thought likely that the elevator gust lockGust lock
A gust lock on an aircraft is a mechanism that locks control surfaces in place preventing random movement and possible damage of the surface from wind while parked...
became re-engaged during the pilots' pre-takeoff checks, and that it was not noticed until the takeoff was so far advanced that a successful abandonment within the overrun area could not be made. The re-engagement of the gust-lock was made possible by the condition of the gust-lock lever gate plate and gate-stop strip, to which non-standard repairs had been made.
The aircraft had originally been bought new by Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas , formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and serves as the country's flag carrier. Owned in its majority by the Argentine Government, the airline is headquartered in the Torre Bouchard, located in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires...
in 1962, and had later been operated by Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales is an Argentine oil company.Founded in 1922 under President Hipólito Yrigoyen's administration, it was privatized in 1993 by Carlos Menem, and bought by the Spanish firm Repsol; the resulting merger in 1999 produced Repsol YPF...
prior to being purchased by Dan-Air
Dan-Air
Dan-Air was a leading private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline based in the United Kingdom....
in 1977.
Safety recommendations
The Accident Investigation Branch made nine recommendations:- That the gust-lock system be redesigned to ensure positive operation at all times and avoid misleading the crew as to the position of any lock.
- That Cockpit Voice RecorderCockpit voice recorderA cockpit voice recorder , often referred to as a "black box", is a flight recorder used to record the audio environment in the flight deck of an aircraft for the purpose of investigation of accidents and incidents...
s be fitted to all public transport aircraft over 11400 kg (25,132.7 lb) maximum weight. - That the authorities of airports with runways facing out to sea liaise with the Department of Trade through HM Coastguard to agree procedures for close offshore rescue.
- That aerodromes operated by the Civil Aviation AuthorityCivil Aviation AuthorityThis is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
be licensed as per the requirements for other aerodromes. - That the CAA Publication 168 "Licensing of Aerodromes" be reviewed in the interests of upgrading its listed safety margins.
- That the CAA reconsider the possibility of supplying some kind of retardation device in or beyond the overrun areas at critical aerodromes.
- Demonstrations of how to don and operate lifejackets be required, and individual safety leaflets be provided on all public transport flights which takeoff or land over water.
- Lifejacket stowage in HS 748 and aircraft with similar arrangements be repositioned to improve accessibility.
- A suitable launching device for lifelines be devised and supplied to coastal aerodromes.
- Where not already provided, loudhailers be included in the emergency equipment at all aerodromes of Category VI and above.