FLIGHT 6560’S FINAL MOMENTS

11:37 a.m. local time: The Captain and First Officer begin conguring the aircraft for approach and landing and initiate the landing checklist.

11:38:21 a.m: The aircraft begins a left turn towards the runway. The autopilot begins to align the aircraft with the localizer beam, a ground antenna array that transmits radio signals to the aircraft to keep it aligned with the centre of the runway. The autopilot slightly overshoots the runway’s centre line and, around the same time, inadvertently switches modes, perhaps as the result of being bumped. This prevents it from correcting the misalignment and the plane continues on, roughly parallel with the runway, with the autopilot maintaining the new alignment. A wind from the southwest pushes the aircraft further o course. A compass error of roughly 17 degrees meanwhile means that the instruments are displaying an incorrect heading.

11:38:38 a.m.: Gear lowered. 11:39:13 to 11:39:37 a.m.: The First Officer notes ve times that the aircraft is o course. The Captain replies that the autopilot indicates they remain on course, unaware it has switched modes.

11:40:17 a.m.: The First Officer reminds the captain about the hill to the right of the runway.

11:40:30 a.m.: The First Officer suggests they abandon the approach and execute a “go-around”, climbing to a safe altitude then correcting the navigational problem. The pilot is not convinced this is required.

11:41:46.6 a.m.: The First Officer says, “I don’t like this.”

11:41:51.2 a.m.: The Captain calls “go-around thrust” and tries to pull up. The plane hits the hillside with enough force to tear o the engines and landing gear and bounces once before the fuselage ploughs into the ground 200 metres from the initial impact. The fuselage separates into three sections and catches re.