ASN Aircraft accident Dassault Falcon 20C LN-FOE Norwich Airport (NWI)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 12 December 1973
Time:15:37
Type:Silhouette image of generic FA20 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Dassault Falcon 20C
Operator:Fred Olsen Flyveselskap
Registration: LN-FOE
MSN: 62
First flight: 1967
Total airframe hrs:4779
Engines: 2 General Electric CF700-2C
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:1 km (0.6 mls) from Norwich Airport (NWI) (   United Kingdom)
Phase: Initial climb (ICL)
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH), United Kingdom
Destination airport:Göteborg-Torslanda Airport (GOT/ESGB), Sweden
Narrative:
The Dassault Falcon 20C jet aircraft was on charter to fly passengers from Norwich, U.K. to Gothenburg, Sweden, and during the morning it made an uneventful positioning flight from Oslo, Norway, to Norwich where it landed at 12:28 hrs. The six passengers boarded the aircraft at about 15:20 hrs and the aircraft received clearance from Norwich Tower to taxi out for take-off on runway 28. While taxying the crew received an airways clearance and the aircraft was lined up on the runway without delay. The co-pilot, a qualified commander on this type of aircraft, was in the left hand pilot's seat, and the aircraft commander in the right hand seat. No bird flocks were seen by either of the pilots whilst taxying to the active runway. The aircraft took-off at 15:37 hrs piloted from the left hand seat. On becoming airborne, at a position a little over halfway down the runway, the crew saw a flock of birds ahead flying just above the ground. The pilot increased slightly the aircraft's climb attitude and the flock passed underneath. A few seconds later a second flock was seen at a higher level and directly in the aircraft's flight path. The pilot lowered the aircraft nose and the flock passed overhead. On re-establishing the climb and at a height of between 100 and 200 feet a third flock was seen, again directly ahead. This flock extended from ground level to well above the aircraft and there was no possible way for the pilot to avoid it; almost immediately the crew heard the sound of multiple bird strikes on the aircraft, the commander described the noise as 'like a machine gun'.
The pilot maintained the aircraft in the climb attitude and the commander, who was checking the aircraft's instruments, noticed the RPM on both engines running down very fast, he also observed the engine pressure ratio (EPR), and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) instrument readings dropping. The pilot heard a bang from the engines, followed by the sound of the engines running down in a rough and abnormal manner. He quickly asked if both engines had failed. This was confirmed by the commander who tried to move the thrust levers without any response from the engines. By this time the aircraft was at a height of approximately 300 feet with the landing gear still down, the crew not having had time to select it up because of their preoccupation with avoiding the bird
flocks.
The speed, which had been about 150 knots prior to the bird strikes, had dropped to 135 knots. The control column was eased forward to maintain speed and the aircraft began to lose height. The pilot saw a field ahead and slightly left of the aircraft which he considered the best forced landing area. On receiving confirmation of his decision from the commander, the pilot made a turn to the left and lined up the aircraft for an approach to the selected field. Visibility was not good because of approaching darkness but the crew were able to see some trees at the approach end of the field. These were avoided and a positive touch down made; the stall warning sounded just before the aircraft hit the ground. Battery and fuel switches were turned off either just before or after ground impact and an attempt was made to close the thrust levers, but these would not move.
All three landing gear legs were torn off shortly after ground impact and the aircraft finally came to rest on the belly of the fuselage. The commander, although partially blinded by blood from cuts on his head, made his way to the main cabin door, which he opened, and all the occupants were evacuated.

Probable Cause:

CAUSE: "The accident was caused by failure of both engines because of mechanical damage due to bird ingestion."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: AIB (U.K.)
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Accident number: AAR 24/1974
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Bird strike
All engine powerloss
Forced landing outside airport

Sources:
» Fatalities and Destroyed Civil Aircraft Due To Bird Strikes 1912-2002 / John Thorpe (International Bird Strike Committee ISBC26/WP-SA1)


Follow-up / safety actions

AAIB issued 2 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of Dassault-Falcon-20C-LN-FOE
accident date: 12-12-1973
type: Dassault Falcon 20C
registration: LN-FOE
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Norwich Airport to Göteborg-Torslanda Airport as the crow flies is 862 km (539 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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