United States of America

Site:

Schedule:

Tampa - Chicago

MSN:

22-00-29

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

DL954

Location:

Chicago-O'Hare

Illinois

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5500

Captain / Total hours on type:

2400.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3600

Copilot / Total hours on type:

500

Aircraft flight hours:

37640

Circumstances:

Flight DL954 from Tampa landed uneventfully at Chicago-O'Hare Airport. The crew was cleared to taxi to the gate and to cross runway 27L when the airplane was struck by a North Central Airlines Douglas DC-9-31 registered N954N. En route to Duluth via Madison, the DC-9 was carrying 41 passengers and a crew of four and his pilot just received the clearance to take off from runway 27L. One of the DC-9's wing struck the tail of the Convair that stopped immediately. out of control, the DC-9 veered off runway and came to rest in flames. The Convair was damaged beyond repair and the DC-9 was destroyed by a post crash fire. Among the 93 occupants on board the Convair, 10 were injured. Among the 45 occupants on board the DC-9, 10 were killed and 35 were injured, some of them seriously.

Probable cause:

Failure of the air traffic control system to ensure separation of aircraft during a period of restricted visibility. This failure included the following:
- The controller omitted a critical word which made his transmission to the flight crew of the Delta CV-880 ambiguous,
- The controller did not use all the available information to determine the location of the CV-880,
- The CV-880 flight crew did not request clarification of the controller's communications.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Chicago: 10 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

N954N

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chicago – Madison – Duluth

MSN:

47159

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

NC575

Location:

Chicago-O'Hare

Illinois

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:

20261

Captain / Total hours on type:

3455.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4537

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1601

Aircraft flight hours:

11812

Circumstances:

The crew was cleared to takeoff from runway 27L. During the takeoff roll completed by night and a visibility limited to 250 feet due to fog, the captain called for rotation and the copilot, the pilot-in-command, started the rotation when one of the wing struck the tail of a Delta Airlines Convair CV-880. Registered N8807E, the Convair just landed at O'Hare Airport on flight DL954 from Tampa and its crew was cleared to cross runway 27L to roll to the gate. The collision caused the tail of the Convair to be torn off. Out of control, the DC-9 landed back onto the runway then veered off and came to rest in flames. The Convair was damaged beyond repair and the DC-9 was destroyed by a post crash fire. While 10 people on board the Convair were injured, 10 passengers on board the DC-9 were killed and 35 others were injured, some of them seriously.

Probable cause:

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II in Buffalo: 6 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N121X

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Buffalo - Allentown

MSN:

421B-0166

YOM:

1971

Location:

Buffalo

New York

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2600

Captain / Total hours on type:

80.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Buffalo Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine lost power. The aircraft banked left, lost height then crashed onto several houses located in the residential area of Cheektowaga, about two miles south of the airport. The airplane was destroyed and all three occupants were killed as well as three people on the ground.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- The pilot failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Improper operation of powerplant and powerplant controls,
- Fuel system: selector valves,
- Exhaust system: other,
- Ignition system: spark plug,
- Carbon deposit,
- Airframe ice,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Snow showers,
- Power loss on left engine,
- Spark plug fouled,
- Possible slow waste gate open,
- Fuel shut off,
- Propeller not feathered.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Burlington: 4 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Registration:

N111DS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Newark - Burlington

MSN:

411-0042

YOM:

1964

Location:

Burlington

Vermont

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

950

Circumstances:

While on an NDB approach to Burlington Airport by night, the pilot descended below the MDA when the twin engine airplane hit tree tops, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Winooski, about 1,5 mile short of runway 15. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and all four occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Snow falls,
- High obstructions,
- Visibility below minimums,
- Hit trees approximately one mile from outer marker during a NDB approach.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 23 in Detroit: 3 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 23

Operator:

Registration:

N20M

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Detroit-Metropolitan-Wayne County

Schedule:

Detroit - Lexington

MSN:

23-094

YOM:

1966

Location:

Michigan

Country:

Region:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4302

Captain / Total hours on type:

1072.00

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff from runway 03R at Detroit-Wayne County Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane crashed on a fuel storage tank and exploded. Both pilots, en route to Lexington on a ferry flight, were killed, as well as one people on the ground.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Tunica

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

TG-HIH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

East Alton - West Helena

MSN:

AF-667

YOM:

1954

Location:

Tunica

Mississippi

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

20000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2500.00

Circumstances:

After landing at Tunica Airport in heavy rain falls, the pilot vacated the runway to reach the parking area when the aircraft collided with a parked Cessna 188 registered N8196V. Both airplanes caught fire and were quickly destroyed. The pilot escaped uninjured while the second aircraft was unoccupied.

Probable cause:

The pilot failed to see and avoid the parked aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125-3A in Findlay

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

BAe 125

Operator:

Registration:

N521M

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Flushing - Findlay

MSN:

25129

YOM:

1967

Location:

Findlay

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10966

Captain / Total hours on type:

2117.00

Circumstances:

On approach to Findlay Airport by night, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions with fog and low ceiling. Unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land was also abandoned. During a third attempt, the pilot-in-command descended below the minimum descent altitude when the aircraft struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area located few dozen yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all seven occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Improper in-flight decisions and improper IFR operation on part of the crew. The following factors were reported:
- Poor crew coordination,
- Low ceiling and fog,
- Weather conditions below minimums,
- Missed two straight-in VOR approaches,
- Attempted VOR circling approach in below minimum conditions,
- Descended below MDA.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560E in Tupelo: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

KBC Inc.

Registration:

N2690B

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Marion - Tupelo

MSN:

560-190

YOM:

1955

Location:

Tupelo

Mississippi

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3483

Captain / Total hours on type:

22.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to Tupelo Airport, the pilot was unable to locate the runway due to limited visibility. Circling the field following a straight-in approach, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed on the field. The passenger was injured while the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot who misjudged altitude on approach. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling and fog,
- Obscuration,
- Visibility below minimums.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680V in Augusta: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Ivy Steele & Partners

Registration:

N1195Z

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Houston - Augusta - Jacksonville

MSN:

680-1575-29

YOM:

1966

Location:

Augusta-Bush Field

Georgia

Country:

Region: