Burbank

On March 5, 2000, about 1811 Pacific standard time (PST), Southwest Airlines, Inc., flight 1455, a Boeing 737-300 (737), N668SW, overran the departure end of runway 8 after landing at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport (BUR), Burbank, California. The airplane touched down at approximately 182 knots, and about 20 seconds later, at approximately 32 knots, collided with a metal blast fence and an airport perimeter wall. The airplane came to rest on a city street near a gas station off of the airport property. Of the 142 persons on board, 2 passengers sustained serious injuries; 41 passengers and the captain sustained minor injuries; and 94
passengers, 3 flight attendants, and the first officer sustained no injuries. The airplane sustained extensive exterior damage and some internal damage to the passenger cabin. During the accident sequence, the forward service door (1R) escape slide inflated inside the airplane; the nose gear collapsed; and the forward dual flight attendant jump seat, which was occupied by two flight attendants, partially collapsed. The flight, which was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan, was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, which occurred
in twilight lighting conditions.

The flightcrew of a Gulfstream G-IV began taking off on Runway 34 with a crosswind from 280° at 24 knots. About 1,340 feet after the takeoff roll began, the airplane veered left 5.14° to a heading of 335°. It departed the runway, and tire marks indicated no braking action was applied. One of the pilots said, "Reverse," then one said, "No, no, no, go, go, go, go, go." The airplane traversed a shallow ditch that paralleled the runway, which resulted in separation of both main landing gear, the left and right flaps, and a piece of left aileron control cable from the airplane. The airplane became airborne after it encountered a small berm at the departure end of the runway. Reportedly, the left wing fuel tank exploded. The main wreckage was located about 6,650 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. Examination of the airplane indicated no preexisting anomalies of the engines, flight controls, or aircraft systems. The Nose Wheel Steering Select Control Switch was found in the "Handwheel Only" position, and not in the "Normal" position. The pilot-in-command (PIC) routinely flew with the switch in the "Normal" position. The PIC and copilot (pilot-not-flying) comprised a mix crew in accordance with an Interchange Agreement between two companies which operated G-IV's. The companies' operation manuals and the Interchange Agreement did not address mixed crews, procedural differences, or aircraft difference training.

The PA-28, N4512Z, was westbound in level flight about 1,000 feet agl, about 2 miles north of an airport at which an intermediate stop was planned. The Cessna T207A, N6383H, was maneuvering in left turns while conducting aerial photography, and had just initiated a turn toward the east. The left wings of each aircraft were struck by the other airplane. Witnesses indicated that about 2 seconds before impact, the PA-28 attempted to avoid a collision by beginning a climbing right turn. Each aircraft continued past the other and then both spiraled to the ground. The weather conditions were clear, visibility 3 miles in haze. Neither airplane was in radar or voice contact with any FAA facility. All three occupants in both aircraft were killed.

The pilot elected not to use the stored instrument flight plan, and he departed with a special VFR clearance. The flight was being followed by radar. After reaching visual flight conditions, the pilot proceeded toward his intended destination and climbed to 8,500 feet. Minimum safe altitude warning service was available, but not requested by the pilot. A review of radar data indicates that the airplane's track remained almost constant at 300° with a 160-knot ground speed. The last radar hit on the airplane occurred about 0.3 miles from where the airplane cruised into 8,500 foot msl terrain while still tracking along a northwesterly course. The accident occurred in dark, night time conditions.

While en route, the pilot was cleared to deviate 20° left of course to avoid thunderstorm activity that ARTCC radar showed was right of course. The pilot reported turbulences, but demurred descending to a lower altitude despite a pirep of clear weather below. He then reported 'in a cell' with turbulences. Radar and radio contact with the aircraft were lost. Another pilot, who flew approximately 15 miles further south, reported no weather, but said there was extreme weather to the north with near constant lightning. Subsequently, N340MV impacted the ground in a steep nose-down, left wing low attitude, after a 14,000 feet descent. The landing gear was extended when the plane crashed. An exam of the wreckage revealed no preimpact structural failure or aircraft component malfunction. Also, the wreckage showed no evidence of weather damage from hail or lightning. However, weather info showed there was high altitude thunderstorm activity with turbulences in the area at the time of the mishap. Both occupants were killed.

After takeoff, the pilot was cleared to proceed on an IFR flight plan. After being cleared to 15,000 ft msl, he reported having trouble maintaining his airspeed and subsequently declared an emergency. Shortly after that, radar contact was lost. The aircraft impacted at night near the top of a mountain ridge at about 4,700 ft msl. The wreckage was demolished and scattered over a large area, but there was no evidence of an inflight breakup. Some parts of the wreckage (including the right engine) were not found on the snow covered terrain. The weather forecast called for: thunderstorms in lines, mountains obscured, moderate and occasionally severe turbulence below 20,000 ft, occasional moderate icing in clouds and in precipitation from the freezing level (3,000 ft) to 20,000 ft. The aircraft was not certified for flight in known icing conditions.

On approach to Santa Maria, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling and a limited visibility due to fog. He initiated a go-around manoeuvre and started a second ILS approach few minutes later. In a visibility limited to two miles or less, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck a mountain slope located about six miles from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

After takeoff from Palm Springs Airport, while in initial climb, the pilot reported an engine failure and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. While making a turn, the twin engine airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. Both occupants were slightly injured.

Just after liftoff from Pagosa Springs Airfield, while climbing, the right engine failed. The pilot was able to feather the propeller but the airplane lost height and crashed in flames in a canyon. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants were killed.

The aircraft was chartered by Wolper Productions Inc. to fly a movie production crew from Bishop (BIH) to Burbank (BUR). The cast and crew of the television series 'Primal Man' was returning from shooting a prehistoric hunting sequence in the snow-covered Sierra. Amongst the crew were director-writer Dennis Azzarella and actor Janos Prohaska. Flight 802 departed Hollywood-Burbank Airport at 18:14 to pick up the passengers at Bishop. The flight from Burbank to Bishop was conducted under VFR conditions and at 19:10 the crew contacted the Tonopah Flight Service Station (FSS) and cancelled their VFR flight plan. The crew then "air filed" an IFR flight plan for the return trip from Bishop to Burbank. The aircraft landed at Bishop at 19:20. Baggage and equipment were loaded and 32 passengers boarded the flight. The Convair CV-440 departed the gate at about 20:20. The crew then contacted the Tonopah FSS and advised that they were taxiing for departure and requested that their IFR clearance be activated. After takeoff from runway 12 the flight made a climbing right turn, circled back over, or near, the BIH VOR and then proceeded outbound in an east-southeasterly direction. At 20:24 Flight 802 again contacted the Tonopah FSS and reported that they were off Bishop at 20:20 and were, "climbing VFR over Bishop, awaiting clearance." About four minutes later the aircraft struck a foothill in the White Mountain range at an elevation of 6,100 feet. The aircraft was on a heading of about 175° magnetic and in an approximate 25° bank to the right at impact. All 36 occupants were killed.