Statuts:	Enquête Officielle
Date:	07 FEV 1993
Heure:	10:39
Type/Sous-type:	Boeing 747-243B
Compagnie:	Continental Air Lines
Immatriculation:	N33021
Numéro de série:	20520/190
Année de Fabrication:	1972-05-11 (20 years 9 months)
Heures de vol:	64400
Cycles:	12522
Moteurs:	4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7
Equipage:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 18
Passagers:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 223
Total:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 241
Dégats de l'appareil:	Aucun
Lieu de l'accident:	London-Gatwick Airport (LGW) (Royaume Uni)
Phase de vol:	En approche (APR)
Nature:	Transport de Passagers Intern.
Aéroport de départ:	Houston-Intercontinental Airport, TX (IAH/KIAH), Etats-Unis d'Amérique
Aéroport de destination:	London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK), Royaume Uni
Numéro de vol:	4

Détails:
On the first approach to runway 26L at Gatwick, with the automatic flight control system (AFCS) engaged in the LAND mode, the aircraft flew through the localiser at 9.5 nm from touchdown and established on an inbound track about 3,000 feet to the right of the centreline. The aircraft was still not established on the centreline at 3 nm from touchdown and a missed approach was initiated.
On the second approach the aircraft again flew through the localiser and established on an inbound track about 2,500 feet to the right of the centreline, at 7.75 nm from touchdown. At 1.75 nm from touchdown and 1,500 feet to the right of the centreline, the commander saw the approach lights, then the runway, to his left. He banked the aircraft left towards the touchdown point, however, he considered it imprudent to carry out the manoeuvres required to achieve a landing and a missed approach was initiated; power was applied at about 500 feet amsl. The lowest recorded altitude the aircraft reached was 432 feet amsl, at 0.5 nm from touchdown; it was displaced about 900 feet to the right of the centreline. The published elevation of the highest point on the south terminal building was 316 ft; this point was about 500 feet to the right of the aircraft's track.
The commander elected to carry out a third approach under manual control; this approach was uneventful and Continental 04 landed at 10:51.

CAUSAL FACTORS:
(i) Failure of the AFCS to capture and establish the aircraft on the localiser.
(ii) Failure of the aircraft crew to appreciate that the navigational information being presented to them on the flight deck was correct.
(iii) Failure of the commander to appreciate the extent of the aircraft's displacement from the centreline, on the second approach, and to take prompt and effective action to regain the correct approach path.
(iv) Failure of the No 2 radar director to appreciate the extent of the aircraft's displacement from the centreline which caused him to pass misleading information to the aircraft commander.
(v) The commander's acceptance of the azimuth guidance given by the radar director and the ILS glidepath information as adequate reference to continue the approach beyond the final approach point.

Sources:
» Flight International 24.2-2.3.93 (8)
» Flight International 31.8-6.9.94(18)