reducing "Crew-caused"
approach and landing
accidents 

Pilot-in-charge Monitored Approach

2011 CRJ go-around LOC windshear Kinshasa

Brief account : 

The crew of the CRJ100 lost control of their aircraft as they commenced a go around from below the MDA for the non precision approach flown due to an absence of visual reference with the runway. They were aware from their weather radar of severe convective weather in the vicinity of the airport although the METAR passed by ATC did not indicate this. The aircraft crashed alongside the runway and was destroyed. All occupants except one who was seriously injured were killed.

Crew-related factors : 

Both crew were low experience, the Captain 200 hrs in command and the F/O only 500 hours total. Major thunderstorms were active in the area and displayed on the aircraft radar although ATC did not inform the crew of a serious deterioration that had occurred.   

The localiser-only approach was conducted with a nunber of breaches of SOPs and was high and fast when the FO reported having sighted the airport. The crew decided to attempt to land but after passing DH encountered very heavy rain and initiated a go around at about 200ft. The gear was not raised and at about 400 ft the aircraft encountered a microburst windshear. The aircraft pitched nose down and was destroyed. Rescue services were delayed as the "emergency siren was not heard due to "the raging thunderstorm over the airfield at the time of the accident".

The report considered that the crew were well aware of the thunbderstorm position from their discussions of the weather radar. The "Runway sighting by the Co-Pilot probably precipitated the decision to attempt a landing" .... "To attempt a landing from this stage of flight, in the presence of extreme weather being indicated on the weather radar, is indicative of inappropriate decision making process in the cockpit and inadequate CRM. While carrying out the high speed and unstabilized Approach, the crew probably faced a situation overload. This may have also affected crew‟s decision making capability."

If the crew had been using a PicMA procedure, it is likely that 

1) the Captain would have had more caution in attempting to land, as he would have been better placed to evaluate the actual conditions and obtain better information from ATC.

2) the F/O would probably have needed more time to organise any change of plan involved, which would have hindered the Captain's unwise attempt to hurry and get onto the ground. 

 

Type: 
CRJ-100
Where: 
Kinshasa Congo
Expected weather: 
Instrument
Pilot in charge: 
Capt
Early transition: 
Yes
Go-around : 
Below DH/A
Damage: 
Serious
PicMA potential: 
Major
Year: 
2011
Time: 
Day
Deterioration: 
Yes
Vert Guidance: 
None
Both Head Up: 
Yes
LoC: 
Yes
Operator: 
Georgian Airways
Fully prepared: 
No
Actual Weather: 
Thunderstorm
Autopilot : 
Y
CCAG: 
Normal