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| Date: | Friday 3 November 2000 |
| Time: | 19:45 |
| Type: |  Fokker 100 |
| Owner/operator: | Air France, opb Gill Airways |
| Registration: | G-BYDN |
| MSN: | 11329 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 76 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Location: | Near Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG/LFPG) -
 France
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Newcastle Airport (NCL/EGNT) |
| Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG/LFPG) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft was on the fifth rotation of the day flying between Newcastle (NCL) and Paris, Charles
de Gaulle (CDG). The flight crew had flown the previous two sectors from NCL to CDG, returning
to NCL and these had been uneventful. The First Officer (FO) was undergoing line training and
was the handling pilot for the sector from NCL to CDG. The weather on departure was surface
wind calm, visibility 40 km cloud few at 2,000 feet, few CB 3,000 feet, temperature +5°C, dew
point +3°C and QNH 991 mb. The aircraft flew only briefly through the lower layer of cloud and
did not enter the areas of CB. There were no visible signs of icing and no ice warning was
activated.
The transit to Paris was made in cloudless conditions with clear skies during the descent and on
arrival in CDG. The arrival was via the reporting point Merue and the aircraft was cleared to
descend to FL 110 maintaining 280 kt. Autopilot 2 (AP2) was engaged and the aircraft was being
navigated by the Flight Management System (FMS). The FO was using the vertical speed mode to
adjust the flight path of the aircraft to arrive at the assigned level at Merue. The aircraft levelled at
FL110 and turned onto the 100° radial for the VOR 'CRL'. At this point the aircraft began to gently
oscillate in pitch and this increased with the aircraft gradually descending. The nose down pitch
increased and the commander instructed the FO to de-select the autopilot, which he did and heard
the 'cavalry charge' audio warning, which he cancelled. Taking manual control the FO found he had
only approximately 2 cm of fore and aft control column movement, which rapidly reduced to
having no movement at all in pitch control. The commander took control and confirmed the column
had jammed and only by exerting a large aft force was he able to free the column to a limited extent
and raise the nose of the aircraft, which was climbed back through FL 110. ATC called the aircraft
to question the level excursions and were advised of the control difficulties. Both pilots had to
maintain an increasing forward pressure on the control column and, given the deteriorating
situation, the commander transmitted a Mayday distress call. At about this time autopilot 1 (AP1)
was selected although subsequently neither pilot could recall making the selection or noticing the
information on their display screen. ATC acknowledged the distress call and instructed the crew to
'turn right heading 120° and descend 3,000 feet 1002'
The aircraft now began to gently pitch up and the crew, in an effort to prevent this pitch up, pushed
the control column forward. It is possible that a further speed selection reducing to 230 kt was
made and the forward pressure needed on the control column took both pilots to hold it in the
almost fully forward position. The commander instructed the cabin crew to move all the passengers
to fill up the seats from the front to assist in pitching the aircraft down, and to prepare for an
emergency landing. This was accomplished promptly and in an orderly manner. With the control
column still nearly fully forward and the air speed at 232 kt the commander lowered the first stage
of flap (8°). It now became possible to reduce the forward pressure on the control column and the
commander, having at various points throughout the incident tried to operate the electric trim with
what appeared to be little effect, moved the manual trim wheel to try and trim the aircraft more
nose down. The commander decided to land on Runway 27 Right, which was the nearest runway.
He carried out a radar vectored ILS approach and made a normal landing at 1948 hrs with Flap 42.
Reverse thrust was used to slow the aircraft. After landing the control column electric trim switch
was operated it functioned normally
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f9ade5274a131400071b/dft_avsafety_pdf_500231.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10488145 (Photo)
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 22 March 2019 | EP-ATG | Iran Aseman Airlines | 0 | Tehran-Mehrabad Airport (THR/OIII) |  |
non |
| Landing gear issues | ||||||
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Apr-2025 08:14 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 02-Apr-2025 08:15 | ASN | Updated [Accident report, ] |
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