Country
code

Madeira

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air off Funchal: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 2003 at 2156 LT
Registration:
N600BV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Funchal – Málaga
MSN:
BB-254
YOM:
1977
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
332
Captain / Total hours on type:
10.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Funchal-Santa Cruz Madeira Airport runway 05 at 2154LT on a charter flight to Málaga, carrying one pilot and nine Spanish passengers, three men, three women and three children aged 2, 4 and 7. During initial climb by night, at an altitude of 2,200 feet, the aircraft entered a cloud then entered a left turn and an uncontrolled descent. Forty seconds later, it crashed in the sea less than one km offshore, northeast of Caniçal. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the pilot lost control of the aircraft following a spatial disorientation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10R off Funchal: 36 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1977 at 2014 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HB-ICK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zurich – Geneva – Funchal
MSN:
200
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
VS730
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Captain / Total flying hours:
8088
Captain / Total hours on type:
4968.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3735
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3100
Aircraft flight hours:
21134
Aircraft flight cycles:
12767
Circumstances:
Flight VS730 was an international charter service from Zurich to Funchal with an intermediate stop at Geneva-Cointrin Airport, Switzerland. The flight crew consisted of two captain. A new captain was in the left-hand seat and was piloting the aircraft. The second captain who was seating in the right-hand seat was acting as pilot-in-command, pilot responsible for the initiation to Funchal, route check pilot and co-pilot. Initiation of the new captain was necessary because of the difficult approach and landing at Funchal. However, this initiation ought to have been made by day. The aircraft departed Geneva at 1626LT bound for Madeira Island. At 1938 the crew contacted Madeira control, reporting Rose Point at FL330; the aircraft was cleared to leave this flight level at 1941. The crew then asked for descent instructions and received clearance to descend to FL50; it was requested to contact control again when this level was reached or when overflying the Porto Santo (PST) NDB. At 1955 the crew reported being overhead the PST at FL85. The aircraft was instructed to continue its descent to FL50, then to contact Funchal approach control. At 1957 the crew contacted Funchal approach control, which stated that runway 06 was in service and cleared the aircraft to descend to 3,500 ft, the QNH being 1014.0 mb. After being cleared for the approach the crew descended below the 720 feet permitted during circling, even though they had lost sight of the runway. The pilots, had lost sight of the runway lights at the end of the downwind leg and at the beginning of the base leg, when the aircraft was already flying below 200 feet. The radio altimeter had probably been preset to 200 feet, but the pilots did not check its indications. The aircraft touched the water surface relatively smoothly in a flat attitude, bounced then touched the water surface two additional times and came to rest 4 km short of runway 06 threshold. The center of the fuselage fractured, causing water to enter the cabin. Few passengers were able to jump into water and the airplane sank by a depth of 600 metres two minutes after final impact. 17 bodies were never recovered as well as both CVR and VFR recording systems.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by an involuntary ditching during the approach. The fact that the aircraft was flying below the descent plan may have been due to a lack of coordination between the pilots and a sensorial illusion on the part of the crew, when it was preoccupied with the search for visual runway references. The following findings were reported:
- The captain in the left seat did not have sufficient experience to land by night at Funchal Airport (this was his first flight to Funchal),
- Through good weather conditions, the crew continued the approach by attempting to establish a visual contact with the runway but without success,
- This caused the aircraft to pass the descent height and to continue the approach below the minimum prescribed altitude until it impacted water,
- A light signal activated on the cockpit panel but the crew failed to see it as he was trying to locate the runway,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- Sensorial illusion,
- A crew composed by two captains was dispatched on the flight. Experience shown that such crew composition was not the best as the captain who was seating in the right seat has too little experience as copilot and was flying as an acting captain instead of copilot,
- A possible malfunction of the altimeter was ruled out,
- All instruments were functioning properly at the time of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-282 in Funchal: 131 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1977 at 2148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CS-TBR
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels - Lisbon - Funchal
MSN:
20972
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
TP425
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
156
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
131
Aircraft flight hours:
6154
Aircraft flight cycles:
5204
Circumstances:
While descending to runway 24 on an NBD approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility to 3 km, clouds down to 1,500 feet and rain falls. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the pilot-in-command initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, while on a second attempt to land, the crew landed too far down, about 2,060 feet past the runway threshold (runway 24 is 5,000 feet long) at a speed of 148 knots. Immediately after touchdown, the crew activated the thrust reversers and deployed the spoilers but unable to stop on a wet runway, the airplane overran. It went down a steep embankment, collided with a stone bridge, broke into several pieces and eventually came to rest in flames on a beach located about 40 meters below airfield elevation. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Six crew members and 125 passengers were killed while 33 other occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following contributing factors:
- Very unfavorable weather conditions at the time of landing,
- Possible existence of conditions for hydroplaning,
- Landing at a speed of Vref + 19 knots,
- Landing long with a too long flare,
- Sudden directional correction after touchdown on the runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10R off Funchal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1973 at 0140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EC-BID
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Madrid - Funchal
MSN:
228
YOM:
1969
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a positioning flight from Madrid-Barajas to Funchal. While approaching the airport by night, the pilot-in-command made a turn to join the runway 06 approach path when the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea few km off shore. The wreckage sank by a depth of 740 meters and was not recovered. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it is believed that the aircraft's speed was probably too low during the last turn, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash. The distance between the aircraft and the water surface was insufficient to expect recovery.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland 3 off Madeira

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGJN
Survivors:
Yes
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean off Madeira Island. There were no casualties but the seaplane was damaged beyond repair.