Do228 down at Bodo/ENBO

[M609]

The Do228 of Kato Airlines crash landed short of runway 25 at Bodo just before 09:00 local time 4/12-03.
The aircraft hit a dirt bank 100m short, and slided onto the undershoot.
2crew and 2 passengers was taken to the local hospital. One of the passengers, and the FO is in critical condition.

The weather was bad, with gusting wind and rain.

The aircraft suffered lightening strike, and made 1 unsuccessfull landing before the approach that resultet in the crash.
http://www.an.no/multimedia/archive/00341/kato470_341925a.jpg

http://www.an.no/multimedia/archive/00341/kato4-200_341922a.jpg

http://www.vg.no/bilder/edrum/1070534866276_800.jpg

http://gfx.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2003/12/04/fly_sak.jpg

According to unconfirmed sources, the crew lost elevator control in the lightening strike, and had to fly the aircraft with the elevator trim only.

[forget]

Do I see most of the right side elevator missing?

[Dash8100]

http://aviation-safety.net/database/1998/980730-0.htm

Apparantly the D228 has a trimmable horizontal stabilizer leading edge. Is this common on airplanes? (I'm not a pilot, obviously) I thought the trim was hinged in the back end of the elevator?

[Tony_EM]

Most modern commercial aircraft do indeed have variable stab angle trim.

While part of the elevater is missing, I would say the portion that has the control linkeage is still there (centre section). It's impossible to say whether the missing part of elevater was lost in flight due to the lightning strike or during ground impacts, but I would guess the latter is more likely. Sounds to me like the control cables or linkeage got fried in the strike, however, it is possible that if that portion of elevater was lost in flight (along with the counter-balance) the remaing system could have gone into flutter causing the control linkeage/cables to fail. I'll be looking for the report on this one and the implications to other aircraft with similar control system setups re; lightning strikes.

Glad to hear all are alive, but deeply saddened that some of the injuries are severe. Wishing them all a speedy recovery.

On the face of it, it looks like another brave and skillful effort to land an aircraft with diminished control capabilities in extreme conditions.

[M609]

Do I see most of the right side elevator missing?

Looks like it
http://home.online.no/~anderfo/Div/1070534866276_800.jpg

[forget]

“It's impossible to say whether the missing part of elevator was lost in flight due to the lightning strike or during ground impacts, but I would guess the latter is more likely”.

I’d disagree; for a relatively lightweight elevator to detach due to fuselage impact is highly unlikely. In any event, we’ll soon know with certainty. If the missing part was lost in flight then it won’t be anywhere near the impact point. If it was lost during ground impact, then it will.

[Dash8100]

Local newspapers are reporting that the crew lost controll over the horizontal stabilizer at 6000 feet. They had to go around on their first landing attempt (they barely touched the ground), and came in low and slow on the second attempt. It seems that the captain has suffered a broken back, but he will recover according to medical sources. The FO and the to passengers suffered minor cuts and bruises.

[Tony_EM]

Forget;

I was thinking of the counterbalance, and/or that the elevater may have hit something itself, maybe the detaching undercarriage, although it doesn't look like it from the image. It all depends on how hard the impact was of course.

You may be right. The other end of the elevator seems to have come away slightly at the hinge line. Loss of control linkeage/cable leading to flutter? I can't see a lightning strike primarily causing structural damage like that. It does look to me like a torsional failure; aerodynamic load on surface against counter-weight momentum?

Please excuse the blatant speculation here, such incidents as this arouse an insatiable curiosity in me.

The most interesting aspect of course is how a lightning strike led to loss of elevater control. I'm assuming it is a direct linkeage system (cables/rods/bellcranks as opposed to hydraulic or electrical). I had always thought that such systems were isolated against this.

Good news on the injury prognosis.

[Kalium Chloride]

That elevator looks like it has a fairly big scorch mark on it...

[GOLF-INDIA BRAVO]

Looks black on both sides, could this be exhaust from engines

Gof India Bravo

[Dash8100]

Or the lightning entering the elevator on one side and departing it on the other side?

[Dash8100]

Eyewitness report:

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/1288577/

News on the radio in Norway now says that it's clear that all four in the plane just suffered minor injuries. That's good news.

[GOLF-INDIA BRAVO]

Sorry I didn`t make myself clear I meant both elevators

Golf India Bravo

[Propbladerunner]

Any WX-radar on that 228?

[Dash8100]

Close up photo of the right side elevator:

http://www.vg.no/bilder/bildarkiv/1070608972.jpg

Apparently, the aircraft had weatherradar.

[Tony_EM]

Wow, what a difference a picture makes!

So it was only the skin that detached, structure and counterbalance are still there. Was the elavater/control fused in place by the lightning strike?

[captaink]

Instead of being

[Propbladerunner]

The crew has been given a lot of credit!

Regarding light aircraft: is it not documented that they are less safe than transport category aircraft?

[Agaricus bisporus]

Propbladerunner, this was a Public Transport category aeroplane. It was NOT a "light" aircraft.

Does anyone know the previous history of this aircraft, owners, operators?

I was surprised to see the extent of the damage - fuselage compression, it must have hit the ground at a hell of a rate (though sloping terrain might account for this). From my short experience of flying (and crashing) the Do228 I always thought it a very tough little thing physically.

Good to hear the crew are on the mend.

[Propbladerunner]

Agaricus bisporus, DO 228 is NOT a transport category (FAR/JAR part 25) aircraft. It is certified by light twin rules, part 23. Some of them weigh more than 12500 lbs, but that only changes the rules to SFAR23. You may argue that in some respect it is "large", when over 12500lbs, but it is definitely not transport category, like DHC 8, which the passengers want back on that route.

So if I may rephrase: Has it not been established that transport category aircraft are safer than lighter twins?

[shaky]

It might be helpful to remember that the control surfaces are fabric, not aluminium.

[Random Electron]

Well done to the crew.

Make no mistake, this could have ended up an awful lot worse.

One thing I am curious about.

I can see the scorch marks , but how come the static discharge wicks on the horizontal stabiliser all seem to be intact?

Anybody?

[Hand Shandy]

The black marks on the elevator are not scorch marks but prop wash . A similar incident although thankfully not as severe occurred on an Air Wales 228 about 18 months ago with a large part of the elevator fabric becoming detached , the cause of which appeared to be an a previous botched repair by previous owners . The aircraft landed safely at Swansea and Caa investigation followed.

[Obi Wan Kirk]

What are the pilots names?

[Agaricus bisporus]

Propbladerunner, sorry pal, way off the mark! By the entire width of the Atlantic or more. Over here in Europe we do JAR, not FAR in case you hadn't realised, and Public Transport is any, that is ANY aircraft that flies for hire and reward carrying pax or freight. So unless this one was privately owned and not used commercially...

"Light twin rules" is purely a FAA category and unheard of in Europe.

[Seloco]

Is it really true that the 228 has FABRIC-covered elevators? I thought those went out rather a long time ago......are we really talking cloth and dope still here?

[captaink]

Instead of being