Bucharest - Stockholm
Flight / Schedule
Bucharest - Stockholm
Aircraft
BAc 111Registration
YR-BCM
MSN
256
Year of Manufacture
1977
Date
June 7, 1997 at 01:50 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Stockholm-Arlanda Uppland
Region
Europe • Sweden
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On June 7, 1997 at 01:50 PM, Bucharest - Stockholm experienced a crash involving BAc 111, operated by TAROM - Transporturile Aeriene Române, with the event recorded near Stockholm-Arlanda Uppland.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
26 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 26 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 20, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight ROT 335, a BAC 111 coming from Bucharest, was about to land on runway 26 at Stockholm/Arlanda airport. The pilots had visual contact with the field and the landing was performed according to visual flying rules (VFR). The commander, who was pilot flying (PF), has stated the following. The approach was normal with occasional turbulence and wind gusts from the south. When the aircraft was on 8 nautical miles1 final, the air-traffic controller in the tower reported the wind 160°/13 knots. To begin with the aircraft was somewhat above the glide slope but was on the glide slope when it passed the threshold. The touchdown on the runway was in the normal touchdown zone on the left main gear and nose up. Shortly thereafter came a strong wind gust whereupon the right main gear touched down and the nose gear heavily hit the runway. The commander controlled the aircraft with rudder, reversed the engines and braked lightly. He did not notice anything special in the behavior of the aircraft at that point. When - after the speed had become so low that rudder steering was no longer possible - he reverted to nose wheel steering he noticed that it was not functioning. He continued the light wheel braking but could not prevent the aircraft from veering to the right. He then braked fully but the aircraft continued towards the right runway edge. It left the runway at a speed of around 60 knots out onto the grass field. The retardation was soft and the passengers disembarked through ordinary exit. The airport rescue service was speedily on the scene but no action was necessary. The accident occurred on 7 June 1997 at 1350 hours in position 5939N 1755E; 121 feet (37 m) above sea level.
Aircraft reference details include registration YR-BCM, MSN 256, year of manufacture 1977.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
Flight ROT 335, a BAC 111 coming from Bucharest, was about to land on runway 26 at Stockholm/Arlanda airport. The pilots had visual contact with the field and the landing was performed according to visual flying rules (VFR). The commander, who was pilot flying (PF), has stated the following. The approach was normal with occasional turbulence and wind gusts from the south. When the aircraft was on 8 nautical miles1 final, the air-traffic controller in the tower reported the wind 160°/13 knots. To begin with the aircraft was somewhat above the glide slope but was on the glide slope when it passed the threshold. The touchdown on the runway was in the normal touchdown zone on the left main gear and nose up. Shortly thereafter came a strong wind gust whereupon the right main gear touched down and the nose gear heavily hit the runway. The commander controlled the aircraft with rudder, reversed the engines and braked lightly. He did not notice anything special in the behavior of the aircraft at that point. When - after the speed had become so low that rudder steering was no longer possible - he reverted to nose wheel steering he noticed that it was not functioning. He continued the light wheel braking but could not prevent the aircraft from veering to the right. He then braked fully but the aircraft continued towards the right runway edge. It left the runway at a speed of around 60 knots out onto the grass field. The retardation was soft and the passengers disembarked through ordinary exit. The airport rescue service was speedily on the scene but no action was necessary. The accident occurred on 7 June 1997 at 1350 hours in position 5939N 1755E; 121 feet (37 m) above sea level.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
6
Passengers On Board
20
Estimated Survivors
26
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 26
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Bucharest - Stockholm
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Europe • Sweden
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Handley Page Transport
Handley Page H.P.12
At 06.50 pm the Handley Page O/400, G-EAKE, departed for the last time from Kjeller and despite the strong winds it climbed to its cruising altitude at 2,440 metres (8,000 feet). The average speed that day was 100 kmh. Donovan explained Mrs Meisterlin under the first leg of the trip how they would fly to Karlstad and Stockholm. They crossed the Norwegian-Swedish border at 7.35 pm and Arvika at 7.55 pm. The clouds were by now getting thicker and at 8.25 pm they flew above Karlstad in 1,000 metres. They looked for Hallvard Næss and his Norman Thompson N.T.2B flying boat N-13, but in vein. He was delayed. At 9 pm they cross a landscape with thousands of tree and no possibility for an emergency landing. By now it was dark and only the fire coming from the exhaust pipe lighted up the sky. At 9.50 pm they flew above the large lake Mälaren and could enjoy a beautiful view. Donovan said, “Thumbs up – Stockholm!”, when at 11.20 pm a large city was in sight. But instead of going down, the Handley Page O/400 continued in the eastern direction and ended up above the lovely archipelago north of Stockholm. They started to fly around in circles and Donovan said, “I think they have lost themselves”. It was now decided to find as soon as possible a suitable landing site and finally the crew found a field that looked good enough. They flew in low altitude above houses and fields and finally land safely in a cornfield. Sergeant Rogers thought that the field was a regular meadow, but it turned out to be a cornfield. The aircraft suffered no damages. The following day the crew together Captain Meisterlin returned to the field where sergeant Rogers the night before had landed. The aircraft looked undamaged and therefore it was decided to start that day and proceed to Stockholm and the original landing site at Häsgerstalund. The owner of the manor gathered some local workers, who would help plough a lane through the cornfield. The lane was 5 metres wide and 300 metres long. At 3 pm the “runway” was ready and crew and passengers boarded the plane after thanking the hosts for the hospitality. Rogers switched on the engines and slowly the aircraft started on its take-off. It was however soon clear that the lane was not wide enough and that the two metres high corn touched the wings making the aircraft unstable. Sergeant Rogers tried to keep the aircraft straight, failed to do so and instead he tried to lift the aircraft from the field. By now the corn had twisted itself into the undercarriage and the aircraft crashed on its noose, tipping nearly completely around. Some were thrown out of the aircraft, while others were trapped into the fuselage. After the crash Sergeant Rogers shouted to turn off the petrol in order to avoid fire. Lieutenant Gottenborg managed to get out of the aircraft and ran to Captain Meisterlin, Donovan and Sergeant Rogers in order to free them. Donovan was the one with the worst injuries. He had burns in his face and on its hands and was in great pain. He managed to get out by himself. To get out Captain Meisterlin and Sergeant Rogers from the wreckage help was needed from the local workers. Sergeant Rogers’s leg injury (from the motor cycle accident in Norway) had worsened and he and Donovan were taken by stretcher to the ambulance and driven to the hospital in Östanå. Fortunately Dr. Nicolaysen was not hurt and could offer first aid. Mrs Meisterlin and Lieutenant Gottenborg were all unhurt and the journalist Qviller had broken his arm. Finally, the aircraft was now a total wreck and was damaged beyond repair. The flight to Stockholm and København was subsequently cancelled. Crew: Sergeant W. Rogers, pilot Mr. Donovan, mechanic. Observers: Captain Wilhelm Meisterlin and Lieutenant Brynjulf Gottenborg. Passengers: Dr. Nicolaysen, Mrs Astrid Meisterlin Mr. Haakon Qviller, journalist by the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. Source: Rob Mulder - www.europeanairlines.no
P.O. Flygkompani
Fairey III
While on a taxi flight, the pilot encountered control problems and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a field located in Eskön, northeast of Gävle. Both occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Swedish Air Force - Flygvapnet
FVM S.18
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both occupants.
Tryggve Gran
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
En route from Stockholm to Kristiania, the engine caught fire. The crew made an emergency landing in an open field located in Örebro and extinguished the fire. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft went out of control and crashed upside down. Both occupants, Major Tryggve Gran and Captain Larry Carter, were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Swedish Air Force - Flygvapnet
FVM S.18
The crew was conducting a local training flight at Malmen AFB. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, the aircraft collided with a Swedish Air Force Phönix C.1 Dront Ö4 registered 116. While the crew of the Phönix was able to make an emergency landing and was uninjured, the FVM S.18 entered a dive and crashed, killing its both occupants.
Swedish Navy - Svenska Marinen
Savoia S.13
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Märsgarn Island. The pilot, sole on board, was rescued.