Narrative:
Optical illusion on a night time approach caused the plane to crash some 3 km short of runway 14.
CONCLUSIONS:
1) Cockpit discipline was inadequate as the approach entered the final phase.
2) Distractions in the cockpit degraded crew performance.
3) The pilots deprived themselves of essential altitude information by not effectively monitoring the flight instruments during the final approach.
4) The Captain, by relying on visual cues from the runway environment lighting in conditions where those cues were degraded, became exposed to visual illusions.
5) The pilots permitted the aircraft to deviate below the safe approach profile until it struck the terrain.
6) On the assumptions that there had been at least one serviceable ELT on board, that it had been activated as a result of the impact or by other means, and that there was the capability at Churchill Falls of homing to the point of origin of the ELT signal, the rescue activity may have been expedited.
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 9 December 1977 |
| Time: | 22:55 UTC |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH-125-400A |
| Operator: | Churchill Falls Co. |
| Registration: | CF-CFL |
| MSN: | 25213/NA741 |
| First flight: | 1970 |
| Engines: | 2 Rolls-Royce Viper 522 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 3 km (1.9 mls) NW of Churchill Falls Airport, NL (ZUM) ( Canada)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Montreal (unknown airport), QC, Canada |
| Churchill Falls Airport, NL (ZUM/CZUM), Canada |
Optical illusion on a night time approach caused the plane to crash some 3 km short of runway 14.
Probable Cause:
CONCLUSIONS:
1) Cockpit discipline was inadequate as the approach entered the final phase.
2) Distractions in the cockpit degraded crew performance.
3) The pilots deprived themselves of essential altitude information by not effectively monitoring the flight instruments during the final approach.
4) The Captain, by relying on visual cues from the runway environment lighting in conditions where those cues were degraded, became exposed to visual illusions.
5) The pilots permitted the aircraft to deviate below the safe approach profile until it struck the terrain.
6) On the assumptions that there had been at least one serviceable ELT on board, that it had been activated as a result of the impact or by other means, and that there was the capability at Churchill Falls of homing to the point of origin of the ELT signal, the rescue activity may have been expedited.
Classification:
Distraction in cockpitControlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 153-AN/56 (Accident Digest 23, p.181-193)Photos
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.
languages: 
Canada
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HS-125
- 290 built
- 13th loss
- 11th fatal accident
- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 4th worst accident (currently)
Canada- 39th worst accident (at the time)
- 49th worst accident (currently)
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