impact site vs runway threshold : Brit Air CL600-2B19 (F-GRJS) flight AF5672

Brit Air flight AF5672 was on an ILS approach to runway 26 Left at Brest Guipavas aerodrome : the aeroplane deviated progressively to the left of the normal runway approach track.

It passed above and then below the glide path and descended until it touched the ground 2,150 meters from the runway threshold, 450 meters from the extended runway centreline.

The aeroplane struck several obstacles and caught fire.

The causes of the accident are as follows:

• neglecting to select the APPR mode at the start of the approach, which led to non-capture of the localizer then of the glide slope;
• partial detection of flight path deviations, due to the crew’s focusing on vertical navigation then on horizontal navigation;
• continuing a non-stabilised approach down to the decision altitude.

during the approach of Brit Air flight AF5672 , the GPWS called “Glide Slope” , twice “Sink rate”, then again “Glide Slope” four times and finally “Pull Up!”

Lack of communication and co-ordination in the cockpit, and a change of strategy on the part of the Controller in managing the flight were contributing factors.