About Brit Air/Air France flight 5672:

Air France flight 5672, the evening flight from Nantes to Brest, departed Nantes about 23:15. As the Canadair Regional Jet approached Brest, the crew were cleared for a runway 26L approach. Runway 26L is a 3100 m long ILS equipped runway. During the approach the airplane deviated to the left of the centreline due to gradually shifting winds. At first the aircraft was above the glideslope, but then descended below the glideslope. As they further descended below the glideslope (25 seconds before impact), the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) began to sound. Engine power was added, but it was too late. Flight 5672, with the gear down, touched down in a field and collided with several obstacles before coming to rest 150 m further on, at a distance of 2150 m from the runway threshold and 450 m to the left of the extended centreline. All occupants, except for the captain were able to evacuate before the aircraft caught fire. The co-pilot and two passengers were injured.

Probably cause:

The causes of the accident are as follows:
- neglecting to select the APPR mode at the start of the approach, which led to non-capture of the localizer then of the glide slope;
- partial detection of flight path deviations, due to the crew?s focusing on vertical navigation then on horizontal navigation;
- continuing a non-stabilised approach down to the decision altitude.
Lack of communication and co-ordination in the cockpit, and a change of strategy on the part of the Controller in managing the flight were contributing factors.