Cessna Citation Crash
AAIB have published their Formal Report 3/2010 on the accident to C500 VP-BGE which crashed NNE of Biggin Hill on 30 March 2008.
The report sets out four contributory factors:
1. Probable mechanical failure within the air cycle machine which caused the vibration reported by the crew.
2. Missing rivet head on LE fuel shut off valve may have led to inadvertent shut down of the engine.
3. 70 seconds prior to impact neither engine was producing thrust.
4. A relight attempt on second engine was probably started before the relit engine had reached idle speed resulting in insufficient time for enough thrust to arrest rate of descent before ground impact.
This accident is reminiscent of the Kegworth B737-400 crash of January 1989 where the crew mistrusted the engine vibration instruments, the Captain failed to challange his FO`s uncertain call and the wrong engine was shut down.
The report raises more questions than it answers, particularly in respect to two pilot operations, CRM, SRM and perhaps a mixture of it all.
A CVR on board would certainly have helped to shed better light on the cause and circumstance of this accident.