02 February 2004 - Expo Aviation Ilyushin 18D (Flight PHG3002) The Ilyushin cargo plane, an Ilyushin 18D with registration EX-005, operated on a flight from Dubai to Colombo. The airplane was operated by Phoenix Aviation and chartered by Expo Aviation.
Flight 3002 was using GPS and DME when the airplane approached Colombo. The approach controller cleared flight 3002 to descend to FL150. After reaching that altitude the navigator passed on the QNH and QFE values for Colombo: 1009 mb and 756 mm Hg. The altimeters were updated with this information. However, the copilot erroneously programmed 765 mm Hg into the altimeter. After turning left onto finals the aircraft, 14 km from the runway, descended to an altitude above sea level of 60 meters. The airplane descended slowly until the landing gear contacted the surface of the sea at a distance of 10,7 km short of runway 04. Climb power was applied and the navigator reported that they were going around: "PHG 3-0-0-2 go around, again I call you established localizer". At a height of 60-90 meters however, the captain decided to continue the approach.
Assuming the undercarriage had been substantially damaged, he decided to carry out a belly landing on the side of the runway. Touchdown was accomplished 50 meters to the right of the runway and 450 meters passed the threshold. The aircraft skidded and came to rest 2230 meters further on. The Ilyushin was towed away and parked in a corner of the airport, where it was still noted in May 2004.
Transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
APP = Colombo Approach
TWR = Colombo Tower
PHG3002 = Phoenix Aviation Flight 3002
22:24:00 APP PHG 3-0-0-2 turn right heading one three zero 22:24:10 PHG 3002 Turning right heading one three zero 22:26:31 APP PHG 3-0-0-2 turn left heading one two zero for … 22:26:36 PHG 3002 Turn left heading one two zero 22:27:34 APP Descend two thousand feet 22:27:38 PHG 3002 Continue descend two thousand feet 22:28:14 APP Turn left heading zero six five 22:28:19 PHG 3002 Turn left heading zero six five 22:28:36 APP PHG 3-0-0-2 cleared for the approach report establisher localizer runway zero four. 22:28:42 PHG 3002 Cleared for approach I will call you establisher localizer. 22:30:05 PHG 3002 PHG 3-0-0-2 localizer establisher zero four distance one zero nautical miles to touch down. 22:30:11 APP PHG 3-0-0-2 continue approach contact tower one one eight decimal seven, good day. 22:30:38 PHG 3002 Colombo Tower, good evening, PHG 3-0-0-2, localizer established zero four and distance eight nautical miles. 22:30:47 TWR Colombo Tower, continue approach wind zero six zero degrees one zero. 22:31:25 [altitude zero, landing gear contacts water surface] 22:32:13 TWR PHG 3-0-0-2 cleared to land runway zero four wind zero six zero degrees one zero. 22:32:19 PHG 3002 PHG 3-0-0-2 go around again I call you established localizer 22:32:27 TWR Cleared to land wind zero six zero degrees one zero. 22:33:19 PHG 3002 Errr.. PGH 3-0-0-2 request priority landing on your runway. 22:33:25 TWR Cleared to land. 22:33:26 PHG 3002 Request emergency service, request emergency service. 22:33:32 PHG 3002 I need fire guard we need a fire guard, request emergency service … errr I need … (unclear) belly landing belly landing… we going in for belly landing. 22:33:32 [touchdown] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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