The November 25, 2024a Boeing 737-400 freighterregistered EC-MFE, operated by Swiftair on behalf of DHL, crashed during the approach to Vilnius International Airport (VNO/ EYVI). The flight, which took off from Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ/EDDP) in Germany, was in the final phase of its approach profile when it crashed at approximately 1.5 km north of runway 19hitting a house and causing a fire.
They were on board four crew members: two pilots and two loading technicians. One of the pilots, a Franco-Spanish national, died, while the other three occupants survived with injuries of varying severity. No casualties were recorded among the 13 residents of the affected house, thanks to a timely evacuation.
The characteristics of the Boeing 737-400 freighter
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-400 converted into a freighterhad accumulated 31 years of service. Originally used for passenger flights, it was converted in 2015 in configuration cargo (BCF, Boeing Converted Freighter). The conversion included the installation of a main cargo door and strengthening the structure to handle heavy loads. This type of aircraft is common in cargo operations due to its transport capacity and reliability.
Swiftair, based in Madrid, it operates a mixed fleet of ATRs, Boeing 737s, and other aircraft for charter and cargo flights. The company has a solid operating record, but like all cargo companies, it often operates older aircraft, which are subject to rigorous technical controls.
Technical analysis of the approach and impact
According to data recorded on platforms such as ADS-B Exchangethe flight QY5960 was on an ILS approach to runway 19 at Vilnius. The track shows a pass on the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) with a higher speed than expected, causing a excessive turning radius. This led to a lateral deviation, correctable, but with an increased workload for the pilots.
Voice recordings of ATC communications reveal a moment of confusionwith an incorrect tower frequency transmitted to the aircraft. This type of error, while not uncommon, can distract pilots, especially during a critical phase such as the approach. Another key element is the rate of decline: the latest recorded data shows a vertical speed of up to 1,900 feet per minutewell above the recommended limit of 1,000 feet/minute for a stable approach. This could indicate a poorly executed corrective maneuver or difficulty managing the aircraft’s attitude.
The Boeing hit the ground in a residential area, destroying a two-story house and causing a fire which took hours to tame. Pictures from the scene show the fuselage severely damaged, with some sections of the aircraft completely destroyed. The distribution of debris and the impact pattern will be crucial to reconstructing the final moments of the flight. Surprisingly Three of the people on board survived the impact and there were no victims in the residential building
The investigation into the accident
The black boxes of the aircraft, composed of CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) and from FDR (Flight Data Recorder), were recovered the day after the accident. These devices together with the testimony of the surviving pilot will be fundamental to understanding the context of the decisions made by the crew and the sequence of technical events. The day after the accident the Vilnius airport was closed for 4 hours because a Beechcraft King Air 350 calibration aircraft was used to verify the operation of the airport’s ILS system. This measure was taken to exclude anomalies in the signals of some instruments such as the glide slope or of localizer, which could have compromised the precision of the approach.
There is also speculation regarding possible radar jamming, i.e. military-type radar jamming. However, this hypothesis was ruled out for technical reasons. The ILS (Instrument Landing System), used for precision approaches, operates on VHF (108.10 – 111.95 MHz) and UHF (328.60 – 335.40 MHz) radio frequencies specific for the Localizer and Glide Slope. These frequencies are different from GPS frequencies, which operate in the L1 (1.57542 GHz) and L2 (1.22760 GHz) bands. While jamming can interfere with secondary GPS or radar signalshas no direct effect on ILS signals, as these use dedicated antennas and different modulation.
The Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office stated that, at the moment, there is no evidence of sabotage or terrorismbut the investigation remains open to all possibilities, including human error, technical failures or environmental factors.
