Narrative:
Boeing 737 OO-SDH operated on a training flight with an instructor and two co-pilot students. Both students were going to practice ILS approaches to runway 25 at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL) followed by a touch-and-go. The initial six approaches were uneventful. The students then changed seats. The second student's first approach and touch-and-go were uneventful. During the second touch-and-go a flock of birds (ring doves) were observed crossing the runway. Several birds were ingested as the airplane was rotating. The instructor took over control and attempted to continue takeoff. The airplane failed to respond to his control inputs and seemed to decelerate. He then decided to abort the takeoff. There was insufficient runway length available so the Boeing overran, struck localiser antennas and skidded. The right main gear collapsed and the no. 2 engine was torn off in the slide. The aircraft came to rest 300 m past the runway end and was destroyed by fire.
CAUSE PROBABLE DE L'ACCIDENT: "La cause probable de l'accident est l'interruption de la manoeuvre de décollage au moment des impacts d'oiseaux, suivie d'un freinage pour une raison indéterminée.
La décéleration due au freinage empêche l'avion de répondre à l'action du pilote-instructeur sur la commande de profondeur. Le decollage est interrompu alors que la longueur de piste restante est insuffisante pour immobiliser l'avion."
(translated from original French-language report)
PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT: "The probable cause of the accident is the interruption of the takeoff maneuver at the time of the impact of birds, followed by a stop for undetermined reasons.
The deceleration due to braking prevented the aircraft to respond to the action of the pilot-instructor using the ailerons. The takeoff was interrupted while the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft."
Rejected takeoff
Runway excursion
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 4 April 1978 |
| Time: | 18:07 |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-229C |
| Operator: | Sabena |
| Registration: | OO-SDH |
| MSN: | 20914/396 |
| First flight: | 1975-02-12 (3 years 2 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6983 |
| Cycles: | 7424 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL) ( Belgium)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 187 m (614 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Takeoff (TOF) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR), Belgium |
| Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL/EBCI), Belgium |
Boeing 737 OO-SDH operated on a training flight with an instructor and two co-pilot students. Both students were going to practice ILS approaches to runway 25 at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL) followed by a touch-and-go. The initial six approaches were uneventful. The students then changed seats. The second student's first approach and touch-and-go were uneventful. During the second touch-and-go a flock of birds (ring doves) were observed crossing the runway. Several birds were ingested as the airplane was rotating. The instructor took over control and attempted to continue takeoff. The airplane failed to respond to his control inputs and seemed to decelerate. He then decided to abort the takeoff. There was insufficient runway length available so the Boeing overran, struck localiser antennas and skidded. The right main gear collapsed and the no. 2 engine was torn off in the slide. The aircraft came to rest 300 m past the runway end and was destroyed by fire.
Probable Cause:
CAUSE PROBABLE DE L'ACCIDENT: "La cause probable de l'accident est l'interruption de la manoeuvre de décollage au moment des impacts d'oiseaux, suivie d'un freinage pour une raison indéterminée.
La décéleration due au freinage empêche l'avion de répondre à l'action du pilote-instructeur sur la commande de profondeur. Le decollage est interrompu alors que la longueur de piste restante est insuffisante pour immobiliser l'avion."
(translated from original French-language report)
PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT: "The probable cause of the accident is the interruption of the takeoff maneuver at the time of the impact of birds, followed by a stop for undetermined reasons.
The deceleration due to braking prevented the aircraft to respond to the action of the pilot-instructor using the ailerons. The takeoff was interrupted while the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft."
Classification:
Bird strike Rejected takeoff
Runway excursion
Sources:
» Rapport d'enquete concernant l'accident de l'avion B-737, OO-SDH survenu le 4 avril 1978 a Charleroi-GosseliesPhotos
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
accident date: 04-04-1978
type: Boeing 737-229C
registration: OO-SDH
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 Brussel-Zaventem Airport to Charleroi-Gosselies Airport as the crow flies is 49 km (31 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Brussel-Zaventem Airport to Charleroi-Gosselies Airport as the crow flies is 49 km (31 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
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: 
Belgium
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