(ANSA) - LONDRA, 10 FEB - Un piccolo aereo per pendolari e' precipitato vicino a Cork in Irlanda e ci sarebbero vittime. La rete televisiva Rte parla di otto morti. L'aereo veniva da Belfast e l'incidente e' avvenuto al terzo tentativo di atterrare. Nella zona c'era nebbia.

Accident: Flightline SW4 at Cork on Feb 10th 2011, failed landing in low visibility

A Flightline (call sign Flightavia, based in Barcelona, Spain) Swearingen SA-227 Metroliner on behalf of Manx2, registration EC-ITP performing flight FLT-400C/NM-7100 from Belfast City Airport,NI (UK) to Cork (Ireland) with 10 passengers and 2 crew, rolled on its back while attempting to land at Cork's runway 17 in low visibility (CAT II conditions) just before 10:00L (10:00Z). The airplane came to rest near the runway abeam taxiway C, a fire broke out which was quickly put out by responding emergency services. Debris is scattered across a wide area including the runway. Six people including both crew have been killed, 4 passengers received serious, 2 passengers minor injuries.

Cork's City Council reported initially three people, later six people have been killed and 6 have been injured.

Cork's Hospital reported six people have been taken to the hospital by ambulances and are currently being treated.

Irish police reported 6 injured have been taken to Cork's hospital, 6 people have been killed.

The airport reported, that the airplane had attempted and aborted an approach to runway 17, then performed a second approach to runway 35 which was aborted again and crashed while attempting the third approach to runway 17 again. The airport confirmed three fatalities, two serious injuries and two survivors with no injuries. The airport will be closed at least until 18:00L (18:00Z).

Observers on the ground reported that 4 people walked away from the wreckage.

L'impressione è che possa aver toccato al di fuori della pista e che il terreno morbido abbia contribuito a favorire il rimbalzo positivo del velivolo in maniera disastrosa. Ovviamente sono solo ipotesi personali dettate da quanto è visibile dalle foto.

Steve

The Irish AAIU reported that the airplane touched down on runway 17, then left a debris trail of about 180-190 meters before coming to a stop in its final position. However, it is not yet clear which part of the aircraft first contacted the runway. Cockpit voice and flight data recorders were recovered, the wreckage subsequently moved to the cargo area where it will be prepared for transport to the AAIU facilities for further examination.

Ovviamente la dinamica completa potrà essere ricostruita dalla commissione d'inchiesta. Sul un forum inglese è stato confermato che il velivolo era strumentato per l'atterraggio in Cat II. la domanda è se al momento dell'atterraggio ci fossero le condizioni di visibilità permesse da tale categoria.

Steve

The Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) released an interim report reporting that the aircraft was not equipped with an autopilot or a flight director, the airplane therefore had to be flown manually. Although a CAT II approach to runway 17 was available to suitably equipped aircraft and suitably qualified crew, the aircraft did not meet these requirements limiting the crew to a CAT I approach with higher minima (200 feet decision height, 550 meters instead of 300 meters RVR for runway 17, 750 meters RVR for runway 35).

The AAIU reported that the commander of the flight had been recently promoted and the first officer had recently joined the operator. Their flight experience and flight training are being evaluated as well as operational procedures and oversight.

According to the technical log of the aircraft the first officer was pilot flying for the sector into Cork, the captain acted as pilot monitoring.

While descending from cruise FL120 the crew was told by Cork Approach that runway 35 and low visibility procedures was in use, CAT II was available for runway 17 and gave the crew the choice of runway. After reviewing the RVRs the crew opted for runway 17 that was reported with RVRs 350 meters in the first sector, 350 meters in the middle sector and 450 meters in the last sector of the runway.

When the aircraft checked in with Cork Tower the tower reported the RVRs as 300/400/375 meters. The crew performed a go around, the aircraft reached the lowest point at 101 feet radar altitude.

The airplane subsequently positioned for an ILS approach to runway 35, the tower reported the RVRs for runway 35 at 350/350/350 meters. The crew again decided to go around, the aircraft reached the lowest point at 91 feet radar altitude.

The crew subsequently requested a holding pattern of 15-20 minutes to wait for the weather to improve, climbed to 3000 feet and entered the assigned holding at ROVAL waypoint. The crew checked the weather for Waterford Aerodrome which was below minima however. Shannon weather conditions were also reported below minima. Dublin weather was reported marginal, Kerry Airport weather was provided by ATC on own initiative showing visbility above 10km.

About 17 minutes after EC-ITP entered the holding the RVRs of Cork began to improve. When the RVRs read 500/450/400 another 7 minutes later the crew decided to commence the approach to runway 17. After the crew reported established on the ILS, with gear down and flaps half way down about 11nm before touchdown, the RVR had further improved to 550 meters which was reported by Cork Approach. The aircraft was subsequently handed off to tower again.

37 seconds after being handed off to tower the tower controller reported the RVR at 500/400/400, at that time the aircraft was about 9.6nm from touchdown.

The aircraft continued the approach. At about 400 feet AGL (radar altitude) the aircraft began to drift off the center line to the right paralleling the runway center line.

The descent was continued below decision height, power was momentarily reduced before being re-applied, at the same time an aural warning tone sounded for 7 seconds until the cockpit voice recorder ceased recording.

2 seconds after the warning tone started the Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) announced "100" (100 feet AGL) followed by the captain calling "go around" just below 100 feet radar altitude, the first officer acknowledged. 3 seconds after the warning tone started the TAWS announced "50", another 2 seconds later "40".

Recorded data in the last 7 seconds show the airplane rolled significantly to the left while the aircraft tracked toward the runway center line, a quick roll to the right followed which had the right wing tip contact the runway surface about 2 meters left of the runway centerline and 86 meters past the runway threshold at a right bank angle of 97 degrees. The aircraft continued to roll right until the aircraft hit the runway a second time fully inverted about 25 meters past the first impact point. The inverted aircraft exited the runway at a heading of approx 195 degrees magnetic and came to rest 189 meters from the initial impact point. The propeller blades on both engines were severely damaged, fires started in both engines past impact.

Both flight crew and 2 passengers perished, 6 passengers received injuries.

Un paio di domande:
-è normale che l'equipaggio si possa dividere la gestione di barra e manetta?
-è impossibile accorgersi col "sedere" dello sbilancio di coppia ed accelerazione dei motori? Cioè, in decollo l'aereo non dovrebbe tendere un po' sinistra anche se magari si corregge facilmente col timone? Forse il 5% è poco e non è sufficiente per farci caso.

http://www.aaiu.ie/upload/general/13437-INTERIM_STATEMENT_2012_003-0.PDF

- Per la prima parte della domanda c'è uno strumento dedicato, senza sensazioni o sederi. Si chiama paletta/pallina (Turn/sleep) e funziona un pò come la bolla per vedere se un quadro è dritto per capirsi. Essenziale su un aereo a elica anche monomotore.
Non capisco la seconda, comunque se ti riferisci al senso di rotazione dei motori e quindi all'effetto giroscopico si... ma il pilota deve correggere. Cioè devi essere dritto e non farti trasportare dall'aereo. Quindi correggi tutto.
La spinta asimmetrica può essere un problema però se pensiamo a quando ci pianta un motore? Se non fai le cose giuste potresti amplificare un effetto giroscopico e quindi anche il 5% porta a questi risultati.