1999 Glasgow Airport Cessna 404 crash


The 1999 Glasgow Airport Cessna 404 crash occurred on 3 September 1999.
Edinburgh Air Charter Flight 3W, call sign "Saltire 3 Whisky", was a charter flight from Glasgow to Aberdeen. A Cessna 404 Titan, G-ILGW, was used for this flight. The flight had been chartered by Airtours International Airways to transport two pilots and seven flight attendants. Upon arrival in Aberdeen, the Airtours crewmembers were scheduled to work a Boeing 757 on a charter flight to Palma de Mallorca. A Cessna 404 Titan, G-ILGW, was used for the flight to Aberdeen.
Shortly after take off, the left engine failed and the commander feathered the right engine. Instead of attempting a crash landing, the commander attempted to return to Glasgow Airport without engine power and lost control while trying to make a right turn. The aircraft crashed and caught fire approximately one nautical mile from the airport. The two Edinburgh Air Charter pilots, the Airtours First Officer, and five AirTours flight attendants died in the crash. The AirTours Captain and two flight attendants survived.
The aircraft was slightly overweight for the conditions. A report recommended engine inspections, more crash-worthy seats, and consideration to fitting aircraft like this with CVRs. As a result of this accident an airworthiness directive was issued by the British Civil Aviation Authority in June 2000, requiring inspections of the starter adapters and crankshaft gears on Continental GTSIO-520 series engines.