![]() ![]() At 2257 central daylight saving time (CDT) Footnote 2, the aircraft departed Churchill for a night, instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to return to the aircraft's base of operations at Thompson, Manitoba. The twin-engine turboprop aircraft had just completed a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) Footnote 1 flight from Coral Harbour, Northwest Territories (NWT), to Churchill, Manitoba. 1.0 Factual Information 1.1 History of the Flight Contributing factors to this occurrence were the crew's deviation from a published approach procedure, ineffective in-flight monitoring of the approach, rapidly developing localized fog conditions, and, probably, pilot fatigue. The Board determined that the flight crew lost altitude awareness during the localizer back course approach and allowed the aircraft to descend below a mandatory level-off altitude. Both crew members were fatally injured, and the flight nurse was seriously injured. After being cleared for a localizer back course approach to the Thompson Airport, the aircraft descended below the minimum beacon-crossing altitude, struck the Hotel non-directional beacon tower in a wings-level attitude, and crashed. Conversely, I also teach the same concept for an ILS except the heading to fly is on top of the VOR indicator instead of on the bottom.The Swearingen Merlin II was returning to Thompson after having completed a MEDEVAC flight between Coral Harbour, Northwest Territories, and Churchill, Manitoba. Take a look at the heading indicator and determine that you most likely need to turn left to re-intercept the back-course. I say to select a heading under the needle to fly. Conventional wisdom says you need to turn away from the needle to re-intercept. If this was a back-course approach, notice that the needle is deflected to the right. ![]() For pilots using a VOR, the needle will shade bottom numbers that correspond to heading that need to be flown to get back onto the back-course approach. For pilots that use an HSI this will provide for "positive sensing" meaning the needle will deflect correctly. Whenever I fly a back-course approach, irrespective of whether I am using an HSI or VOR receiver, I will always set in the front course.
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