Erie

The pilot was conducting an approach to runway 8, during which the left wing contacted the ground approximately 75 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane came to rest about 160 feet down the runway, and off the right side. A pilot who landed on runway 26, about 30 minutes prior to the accident flight, stated that the winds were out of the northwest at 15 knots with gusts, and he experienced plus and minus 10 knots on the airspeed while on final approach. The winds 19 miles to the east, at 1045 eastern standard time, were reported from 310 degrees at 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots. An AIRMET was issued at 0345, with an advisory for occasional moderate turbulence below 8,000 feet. The AIRMET was reissued at 0945, with the added advisory of, 'Low level wind shear potential over the Boston Area Forecast area east of an Erie-Bristol line due to gusty northwesterly surface winds. Conditions ending by 1600.' An FAA Inspector examined the wreckage and found no preimpact anomalies with the airplane.

The pilot departed on a local VFR flight at 1117. At 1154 he contacted Erie tower for landing. He then advised the tower at 1159 that he had feathered the right engine. One minute later he reported that the left engine was '...kicking out.' The aircraft stalled into a house 6 miles from the airport, and just short of the shoreline of Lake Erie. No fuel was found in the right wing. 7 gallons were drained from the left wing; no fuel was found in the left engine. Right fuel quantity c/b secured in out position by wire tie; several burned components found on back of right fuel quantity gage pc board. Most recent record of fuel purchase which could be found was for May 25, 1989. A pocket diary was found in the wreckage which contained entries of flight times and fuel quantity notations. The accident occurred at 155 Euclide Avenue, Erie, about six miles east of runway 24 threshold. Both occupants were killed.
Pilot:
Floyd E. Smith.
Passenger:
Elwood Graham.

Before takeoff, the crew indicated the flight would be for 'check rides' and that they planned to 'shoot approaches' and proceed to the practice area to do some airwork. ATC advised the pilots that the cloud bases were at 3,500 feet msl. Elevation of the terrain (where the aircraft subsequently crashed) was 1,225 feet. Prior to the accident, witnesses saw the aircraft circling in a steep turn at low altitude. One witness reported it was circling as if to land. Subsequently, it impacted in a steep nose down, slight left wing low, attitude. Several witnesses reported that one or both engines sputtered before the aircraft crashed; however, an exam of the engines revealed no indication of a preimpact malfunction or failure. An exam of the airframe revealed the landing gear was in the extended position when the aircraft crashed. Exam of the props indicated that both engines were producing an equal amount of power. The airwork to be completed included steep turns, stalls, and flight at minimum control airspeed. Both occupants were killed.

During the final approach on the instrument landing system, the pilot descended below the glidepath. The aircraft collided with a tree and struck the ground short of the runway threshold. The pilot was seriously injured.

Reason for the Cessna to veer in a semi-circle and collide with another aircraft is undetermined. Examination of the start lock assemblies could not be completed due to the extensive impact and fire damage. The aircraft was being prepared for a flight. During a manual speed governor check on the left engine the aircraft veered in a semi-circle. An attempt to examine the aircraft start locks was negated by the fire damage from the collision. Both occupants escaped uninjured.

While parked at Erie Airport, the BAe Jetstream 31 was hit by a private Cessna 441 registered N117EA. Both aircraft caught fire and were destroyed. There were no casualties.

During arrival, the crew of USAir flight 499 landed on runway 24, which was covered with snow. Reportedly, while landing, the aircraft touched down approximately 1,800 to 2,000 feet beyond the displaced threshold. Altho armed, the spoilers did not autodeploy, so the captain operated them manually. He lowered the aircraft's nose, actuated reverse thrust and applied brakes. The brakes were not effective. Subsequently, the aircraft continued off the end of the runway, ran over a runway end id light, struck a fence and came to rest straddling a road. The crew had planned on making an ILS approach to runway 06, but the RVR was only 2,800 feet and a minimum RVR of 4 000 feet was requested for that runway. The crew elected to land on runway 24, since 1/2 mile visibility was sufficient for that runway. However, the approach was made with a qtrg tailwind and approximately 10 knots above Vref. Tailwind landings were not authorized on runway 24 in wet/slippery conditions. The runway braking action was reported as fair-to-poor. The pilot's handbook cautioned the crew to monitor the spoilers when landing on slippery runways, since the spoilers auto-deploy only with wheel spin-up or when the nose wheel is on the ground. A passenger was slightly injured while 22 other occupants were uninjured.

During a normal IFR cruise flight, the pilot of Air Ohio flight 21, did not respond to ATC instructions. Air Ohio flight 21 continued for 40 minutes with no reply and without deviation in altitude or heading until the discrete target disappeared from radar over lake Erie. The pilot had not slept for approximately 30 hours prior to the loss of communication response. Both occupants were killed.

While on final approach to runway 09 the aircraft struck a 42 feet power pole with the right wing. The wing was torn from the aircraft. The aircraft landed inverted 400 feet east of the pole. The runway threshold lights are displaced 165 feet from the runway end for night operations. Reil lights are located at the runway end. A power line crosses the extended centerline 825 feet west of the runway end. Red obstruction lights mark the tops of the poles. On the night of the accident the obstruction lights were inoperative. Witnesses reported that the aircraft appeared to be flying lower than normal in the traffic pattern. Both occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Casper-Natrona County Airport, while climbing, the single engine airplane struck trees and crash landed in a field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.