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24th of November 2014, Runway Lights, Blog #679

Ten years ago to date, a Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A Gulfstream III was being prepared for a (night) flight from London-Bigginhill Aiport (EGKB - United Kingdom) to Gander Airport (CYQX - Canada). The weather at the time was calm;

  • QNH - 1027 hPa

  • Wind - Calm

  • Visibility - >10 km with fog patches, no significant clouds

  • Temperature - 5ºC

  • Dewpoint - 4ºC

The aircraft in its final position the following morning (Source: baaa-acro.com ©: Terry Wade)


With the 5 passengers onboard the crew started the engines and at 20:24 lt (local time) the crew was cleared to taxi to Holding Point J1 for a departure from Runway 03. After receiving the crew readback the ATC controller transmitted;

“We are giving low-level fog patches on the airfield, general visibility in excess of 10 km but visibility not measured in the fog patches. it seems to be very low, very thin fog from the zero three threshold to approximately halfway down the runway then it looks completely clear”.

This message was acknowledged by the crew.

At 20:28, the aircraft received its take-off clearance, entered the runway from Holding Point J1, and lined up on the runway. Unbeknown to the crew they had lined up with the runway edge lights, which were positioned 3 m to the right of the edge of the runway. After completing the required checklists, the take-off run started at 20:30 lt, for the first 248 meters the aircraft rolled over the paved surface at the beginning of the runway. It then ran off the paved surface on the grass which lay beyond. The commander (Pilot Flying) aborted the take-off bringing the aircraft to a stop on the grass. The crew shut down the engines but were not able to contact ATC on the radio to tell the controller what had happened.

Runway layout at the beginning of runway 03 at Biggin-Hill (Source & © AAIB)


The co-pilot then left the flightdeck to check on the passengers, who had not been injured. He left the aircraft via the aft baggage compartment door and proceeded to the front of the aircraft where he assisted the commander in opening the main door. Both the commander and the passengers evacuated the aircraft via the main door.

The tower controller saw that the aircraft had stopped but was unaware it was not on the runway. When attempts to contact the crew failed he saw the lights of the aircraft were switched off. The crash alarm was activated at 2032 hrs, Two minutes later the airport fire service reached the aircraft and declared an aircraft accident, after which the airport emergency plan was activated.

Damage to the aircraft was extensive, the following damage was recorded by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) during their investigation;

  • The nose landing gear separated from the aircraft

  • The separated nose landing gear tore a 6,5-meter long hole in the fuselage

  • Frames in the above-mentioned area were damaged

  • Antennas were torn off the lower forward fuselage

  • A crease and rupture in the skin over the top of the fuselage, just aft of the second window in the cabin

Damage to the aircraft was determined to be so great that it was declared as damaged beyond economic repair.

Damage to the aircraft (Source and © AAIB)


The AAIB published their report on the accident (which served as the source for this blog) in 2015. It can be accessed by clicking on the .pdf file at the end of this blog). An extensive analysis of the accident is included in the report. Safety actions were taken by the airport and the chart supplier, with the AAIB issuing a Safety Recommendation in their report to avoid future incorrect runway lineups.




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