United States of America

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Des Moines - Chicago

MSN:

BA-370

YOM:

1958

Location:

Muscatine

Iowa

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8305

Captain / Total hours on type:

2830.00

Circumstances:

While cruising by night on a cargo flight from Des Moines to Chicago, the pilot encountered engine problems and decided to divert to Muscatine for an emergency landing. Due to lack of visibility, he was unable to locate the runway and completed three low passes then started an approach to runway 12. On final, the airplane struck the ground and crashed about 1,245 feet short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight. The following factors were reported:
- Improper operation of powerplant and powerplant controls,
- Improper operation or failed to use anti-icing and deicing equipment,
- Carburetor icing,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Conditions conducive to carburetor / induction system icing,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Partial loss of power on both engines,
- Airport Manager heard the aircraft making three low passes as though attempting NDB approach to runway 05,
- Hit ABT 1,245 feet before runway 12.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Akron

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

N8967E

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Miami - Pittsburgh - Akron

MSN:

47267/361

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

EA300

Location:

Akron-Canton

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10881

Captain / Total hours on type:

736.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

7000

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

15615

Circumstances:

The crew started the approach to Akron-Canton Airport by night and marginal weather conditions. The approach speed was too high and the airplane was also too high and the glide so the crew landed 2,400 feet to far down the runway 01. After touchdown on a wet runway, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All 26 occupants were evacuated, 15 of them were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The captain's decision to complete the landing at an excessive airspeed and at a distance too far down a wet runway to permit the safe stopping of the aircraft. Factors which contributed to the accident were:
- Lack of airspeed awareness during the final portion of the approach,
- An erroneous indication of the speed command indicator,
- Hydroplaning.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Chattanooga

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

N3323L

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Atlanta - Chattanooga

MSN:

47032/204

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

DL516

Location:

Chattanooga-Lovell Field

Tennessee

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

15949

Captain / Total hours on type:

3218.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6301

Copilot / Total hours on type:

4000

Aircraft flight hours:

18233

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Atlanta, the crew started the approach to Chattanooga Airport in poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck approach light located 1,600 feet short of runway 20 threshold. The airplane then struck the ground, lost its left wing and skidded for another 1,200 feet before coming to rest 250 feet to the left of the runway centerline. All 79 occupants evacuated safely and only seven passengers were slightly injured.

Probable cause:

The pilot did not recognize the need to correct an excessive rate of descent after the aircraft had passed decision height. This occurred despite two verbal reports of increasing sink rate by the first officer. The captain disregarded the reports by the first officer, possibly because of the influence of a visual illusion caused by the refraction of light through the heavy rain on the windshield. The excessive rate of descent was initiated by a wind shear condition which extended in the lower levels of the approach path and a glide slope that tended toward the lower signal limit.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560A in Galena: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Fort Wainwright Air

Registration:

N12317

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Fairbanks - Gulkana - Galena - Nome

MSN:

560-243

YOM:

1955

Location:

Galena

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2600

Captain / Total hours on type:

6.00

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was completing a flight from Fairbanks to Nome with intermediate stops in Gulkana and Galena. On approach to Galena, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, fog and snow falls reducing the visibility to 1,000 feet. On final under VFR mode, he was unable to locate the runway when he realized he was facing the tower. He initiated a turn to avoid collision when he lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway. All five passengers were seriously injured while the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Improper flight decisions on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- Evasive maneuver to avoid collision,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Low ceiling, fog and snow,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- No weather briefing received,
- Low level VFR approach to IFR airport,
- Turned to avoid tower and stalled,
- Passengers obtained a partial weather briefing,
- Over maximum gross weight.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680E in Birmingham: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N277LP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Birmingham - Birmingham

MSN:

680-775-48

YOM:

1959

Location:

Birmingham

Alabama

Country:

Region:

Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1500

Captain / Total hours on type:

500.00

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a local flight in Birmingham. On approach, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed few miles from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. The following factors were reported:
- Misjudged distances, speed and altitude,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Observed nose high,
- Slow flight conditions,
- Aircraft last flown 8 September 1973.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle I in Roosevelt: 2 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Landis Sales

Registration:

N2217Q

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Provo - Omaha

MSN:

421B-0017

YOM:

1970

Location:

Roosevelt

Utah

Country:

Region:

Princeton American Airlines

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

18000

Captain / Total hours on type:

458.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude, the pilot encountered problems with the left propeller and lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Roosevelt. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure caused by a propeller and accessories (governors) technical issue. The following factors were reported:
- Governors disconnected,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Improper operation of flight controls,
- Physical impairment,
- Suspected mechanical discrepancy,
- Left governors lower spring seat/thrust bearing of pilot valve plunger loose,
- Possibility of hypoglycemic reaction.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402B in West Stockbridge: 4 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 402

Operator:

Registration:

N50YL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pittsfield - Morristown

MSN:

402B-0350

YOM:

1973

Location:

West Stockbridge

Massachusetts

Country:

Region:

Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

935

Captain / Total hours on type:

400.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude on a flight from Pittsfield to Morristown, the pilot informed ATC about an in-flight fire and that smoke spread in the cockpit and the cabin. He was cleared to divert to the nearest airport when, few seconds later, the twin engine airplane entered a dive and eventually crashed in flames in an open field located in West Stockbridge. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The right engine caught fire in flight for undetermined reason. The following factors were reported:
- Uncontrolled descent,
- Smoke in cockpit,
- Fire in cabin, cockpit and baggage compartment,
- In-flight fire in the right engine compartment,
- Cause of fire undetermined due to fire damage to aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I in Plymouth: 5 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N550T

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Hamilton - Plymouth

MSN:

421A-0038

YOM:

1967

Location:

Plymouth

Indiana

Country:

Region:

Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4500

Circumstances:

On approach to Plymouth Airport, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog. Too low, the twin engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed in flames few miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- Collision with trees,
- Fog,
- Descended below MDA in marginal weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) in Raymond: 2 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Joseph P. White

Registration:

N7430S

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Albany - Tulsa

MSN:

61-0015

YOM:

1968

Location:

Raymond

Ohio

Country:

Region: