Berlin – Luxembourg

On November 6, 2002 at 10:06 AM, Berlin – Luxembourg experienced a crash involving Fokker 50, operated by Luxair, with the event recorded near Luxembourg-Findel All Luxembourg.

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.

22 people were known to be on board, 20 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 90.9%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 19, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The Fokker 27 Mk050 registered LX-LGB and operated by Luxair left Berlin on 6 November 2002 at 07h 40min on flight LG 9642/LH 2420 with destination Luxembourg. Cruising level was at FL180. At 08h 50min, Frankfurt Control asked the crew to stop descent at FL 90, direct to Diekirch and at 08h 52min the flight was transferred to Luxembourg Approach. They were instructed to enter the Diekirch hold at FL90, to expect later on vectors for an ILS 24 and were given the latest RVR readings. At 08h 59min, well before reaching the Diekirch hold, the aircraft was recleared to 3000ft QNH and to turn left heading one three zero. At this time the aircraft flew in the clear sky above a fog layer. RVR was two hundred seventy five meters. The crew evoked a go-around if the RVR was not three hundred meters whilst passing ELU (it’s minima for a category II approach). At 09h04 min 36s, the aircraft passed overhead ELU maintaining 3000ft QNH. At 09h04 min 57s, the ATC controller transmitted an RVR of three hundred meters. Power was further reduced, flaps 10 were selected and the landing gear was lowered. Immediately after the landing gear was lowered, the pitch angle of the two propellers simultaneously reached a value that is lower than the minimum values for flight. This propeller pitch setting involves a rapid decrease of speed and altitude. During the following seconds, the left engine stopped and then the right engine stopped. The flight data recorders, no longer powered ceased functioning. At 09h05 min 42s (radar time base), the aircraft disappeared from the radar screen. It was immediately found in a field seven hundred meters to the north of runway centreline 24 and three point five kilometres to the east of the threshold. Six people were critically injured while 16 others were killed. Within the following hours, four of the survivors died from their injuries. The only two survivors were a passenger, a French citizen, and the captain.

Aircraft reference details include registration LX-LGB, MSN 20221, year of manufacture 1991.