Narrative:
The pilot had completed three flights previous to the accident flight on the same day, using his Cessna Citation. He left Jersey (JER) at 07:29 to fly to Coventry (CVT) via Cardiff (CWL) for a day of business meetings and to return, again via Cardiff, to Jersey in the evening. Before leaving Coventry at 17:29 hrs he had filed ATC Flight Plans for the sectors to Cardiff and to Jersey, he also checked the weather conditions at Jersey. The conditions shown in the forecast were of poor weather with low cloud and visibility intermittently falling to 400 metres in drizzle with 7 oktas of cloud below 100 feet. Sufficient fuel for a return flight from Jersey was on-loaded at Cardiff, the pilot remarked, to the Customs Officer, that he might have to return because of the weather at Jersey.
The aircraft departed Cardiff for Jersey at 18:21. En route the landing conditions were deteriorating to a visibility of 300 metres, runway visual range (RVR) 800 metres in drizzle and 8 oktas of cloud below 200 feet.
By 18:42 the aircraft was descending towards Jersey. The pilot was in radio contact with 'Jersey Zone' ATC, he had received his inbound clearance and had been advised of the latest weather conditions at Jersey. Radar guidance was provided by Jersey Zone, then later, by Jersey Approach Control who also advised that the RVR had fallen to 850 metres and, later, to 650 metres. On receipt of this information the pilot asked for the Guernsey weather. He was informed that the weather at Guernsey had improved to 1800 metres visibility although the cloud base was still below 100 feet. At 18:57 hrs, when at 7 miles on the approach to runway 27 at Jersey, the pilot reported that he was established on the ILS. He then contacted Jersey Tower controller who cleared G-BPCP to land. During the final stages of the approach, about 45 seconds before the crash, the Tower controller advised that the RVR had improved to 850 metres. This message was not acknowledged. When the aircraft was half a mile from the runway, it was observed by an eyewitness to be on a normal approach path for runway 27. The pilot then initiated an overshoot, banking some 18 degrees to the right.
The aircraft struck the roof of a house situated 190 metres to the north of the runway threshold centre line. The house caught fire, the tail of the aircraft lodged in the blazing roof whilst the remaining structure fell into a courtyard where it was destroyed by fire. The four persons occupying the house at the time were able to escape with minor injuries although one, a young girl, was detained in hospital with serious burns. The pilot was killed.
CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the commander failing to execute correctly a missed approach 'go-around' manoeuvre in conditions of poor visibility and low cloud at night. He failed to fly an accurate procedure and allowed the aircraft to continue to descend and turn to the right. It is probable that this resulted from incorrect instrument flying technique but partial physical incapacitation cannot be ruled out. It is also probable that spatial disorientation was a causal factor to the accident."
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
accident date: 01-10-1980
type: Cessna 500 Citation I
registration: G-BPCP
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 1 October 1980 |
| Time: | 19:02 |
| Type: |  Cessna 500 Citation I |
| Operator: | Penarth Commercial Properties |
| Registration: | G-BPCP |
| MSN: | 500-0403 |
| First flight: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 138 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Jersey-States Airport, Channel Islands (JER) ( United Kingdom)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 84 m (276 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Cardiff-Wales Airport (CWL/EGFF), United Kingdom |
| Jersey-States Airport, Channel Islands (JER/EGJJ), United Kingdom |
The pilot had completed three flights previous to the accident flight on the same day, using his Cessna Citation. He left Jersey (JER) at 07:29 to fly to Coventry (CVT) via Cardiff (CWL) for a day of business meetings and to return, again via Cardiff, to Jersey in the evening. Before leaving Coventry at 17:29 hrs he had filed ATC Flight Plans for the sectors to Cardiff and to Jersey, he also checked the weather conditions at Jersey. The conditions shown in the forecast were of poor weather with low cloud and visibility intermittently falling to 400 metres in drizzle with 7 oktas of cloud below 100 feet. Sufficient fuel for a return flight from Jersey was on-loaded at Cardiff, the pilot remarked, to the Customs Officer, that he might have to return because of the weather at Jersey.
The aircraft departed Cardiff for Jersey at 18:21. En route the landing conditions were deteriorating to a visibility of 300 metres, runway visual range (RVR) 800 metres in drizzle and 8 oktas of cloud below 200 feet.
By 18:42 the aircraft was descending towards Jersey. The pilot was in radio contact with 'Jersey Zone' ATC, he had received his inbound clearance and had been advised of the latest weather conditions at Jersey. Radar guidance was provided by Jersey Zone, then later, by Jersey Approach Control who also advised that the RVR had fallen to 850 metres and, later, to 650 metres. On receipt of this information the pilot asked for the Guernsey weather. He was informed that the weather at Guernsey had improved to 1800 metres visibility although the cloud base was still below 100 feet. At 18:57 hrs, when at 7 miles on the approach to runway 27 at Jersey, the pilot reported that he was established on the ILS. He then contacted Jersey Tower controller who cleared G-BPCP to land. During the final stages of the approach, about 45 seconds before the crash, the Tower controller advised that the RVR had improved to 850 metres. This message was not acknowledged. When the aircraft was half a mile from the runway, it was observed by an eyewitness to be on a normal approach path for runway 27. The pilot then initiated an overshoot, banking some 18 degrees to the right.
The aircraft struck the roof of a house situated 190 metres to the north of the runway threshold centre line. The house caught fire, the tail of the aircraft lodged in the blazing roof whilst the remaining structure fell into a courtyard where it was destroyed by fire. The four persons occupying the house at the time were able to escape with minor injuries although one, a young girl, was detained in hospital with serious burns. The pilot was killed.
Probable Cause:
CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the commander failing to execute correctly a missed approach 'go-around' manoeuvre in conditions of poor visibility and low cloud at night. He failed to fly an accurate procedure and allowed the aircraft to continue to descend and turn to the right. It is probable that this resulted from incorrect instrument flying technique but partial physical incapacitation cannot be ruled out. It is also probable that spatial disorientation was a causal factor to the accident."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Loss of situational awarenessControlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
Photos
accident date: 01-10-1980
type: Cessna 500 Citation I
registration: G-BPCP
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 Cardiff-Wales Airport to Jersey-States Airport, Channel Islands as the crow flies is 255 km (159 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Cardiff-Wales Airport to Jersey-States Airport, Channel Islands as the crow flies is 255 km (159 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.
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