A Swiftair 737-400 freighter operating for DHL crashed short of Vilnius Airport while on final approach in the early morning hours of 25 November. The aircraft was operating a flight from Leipzig to Vilnius when it impacted the ground approximately 1.5 km from the runway. Local authorities report that one pilot was killed, while three other crew members aboard the aircraft sustained injuries.
View playback of Swiftair flight BCS18D here >>
The crew contacted approach control and received clearance for the ILS Z RWY 19 approach. Previous arrivals also landed on Runway 19. In the graphic below, all approach paths are clustered until the flight path of BCS18D deviates downward.
CCTV video captures final moments of flight
CCTV footage captured the moment of impact of the Vilnius plane crash:
— LRT English (@LRTenglish) November 25, 2024
(Source: Trade State) pic.twitter.com/fK1oJyVI1M
Review of the raw ADS-B data and the above video indicate the aircraft rolled to the right before impacting terrain north of the runway.
Download Flightradar24 data
Aircraft information
The flight was operated by a 737-400 converted freighter. It began as a passenger aircraft, first delivered to Australian Airlines in 1993 before flying with Qantas and Al Sayegh Airlines. It was converted to a freighter and entered service with Swiftair in 2015. The aircraft was powered by two CFM56 engines.
Investigative updates
Later in the day on 25 November, the Polish Air Navigation Service Agency performed calibration tests on the Instrument Landing System in Vilnius, in part for investigative purposes to help determine if the ILS played any role in the crash of BCS18D.
25 November 2024
The US National Transportation Safety Board announced it is leading a team of US investigators, including personnel from the NTSB, Boeing, and the FAA, to Lithuania assist in the investigation. The NTSB is party to the investigation per ICAO Annex 13 investigative protocols as the investigative agency for the state of manufacture of the aircraft. The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania Transport Accident and Incident Investigation Division will lead the investigation.
26 November 2024
Investigators announced the recovery of the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, often colloquially referred to as the “Black boxes.”
2 April 2025
Investigators released their preliminary findings on the crash. The report contains a history of the flight, describing the sequence of events on the flight deck leading up to the crash.
As the crew descended toward Vilnius they began their approach briefing. They expected icing, turbulence, and clouds as they neared the airport.
Per the report, “the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data shows that at 03:17:34 hrs the HYD SYS B ELEC pump and HYD SYS B EDP both went into the OFF position. At 03:17:35 hrs the HYD SYS ENG R indicated low pressure. The autopilot, which was engaged in CMD B, disconnected and an aural alert was triggered.”
The 737 Flight Crew Operations Manual (FCOM) states that autopilot B and the trailing edge flaps are uniquely powered by hydraulic system B.
“At 03:20:01 hrs the captain recognized that the autopilot was disconnected at about the same time as he attempted to engage engine anti-ice switches. The point was not further discussed by the crew. FDR data show that the anti-ice switches were not engaged at this time.”
The report notes that the Engine Anti-Ice switches are located directly above the hydraulic system switches on the 737-400 overhead panel.
The report continues, “at 03:27:56 hrs the co-pilot recognized that flaps are retracted (Figure 2). Immediately after, the stick shaker activated and a “Sink Rate, Pull Up” warning was triggered by the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS). At 03:28:02 hrs the crew called for go around. The auto throttle was set to Go Around (GA) mode and the engines accelerated to above 90% N1 at impact. At 03:28:07 hrs a “too low – terrain” warning was triggered by the EGPWS. One second later the aircraft impacted into the ground.”
You can read the full preliminary report and the supporting appendices at the link below.
