Allegheny Airlines

On February 12, 1979, Allegheny Airlines Flight 561 (N29824) had originally departed Benedum Airport, Clarksburg, West Virginia, for Morgantown, West Virginia, at 1116, but the pilot decided not to make an approach at Morgantown because the instrument landing system's (ILS) glide slope was out of service, and the visibility was 1/2 mi. Thereafter the flight returned to Benedum Airport and landed at 1146. The aircraft was on the ground for about 1 hr 14 min at Benedum Airport. During that time the aircraft was refueled to 3,000 lbs of Jet-A fuel (1,500 lbs in each wing tank), and all surfaces were deiced with a mixture of unheated ethylene glycol and water. Although the Safety Board could not determine the precise time of deicing, the persons involved stated that it was performed between 1220 and 1235. The persons involved stated that it was performed between 1220 and 1235. The persons who deiced the plane stated that there was no snow or ice on the aircraft when they finished decing it. Flight 561 was rescheduled as a passenger flight from Benedum Airport to National Airport, Washington, D.C. There were 22 passengers and a crew of 3 on board. Before the captain started the engines for taxiing, the station agent asked him if he wanted the aircraft deiced again, since it was still snowing. The captain declined the offer and about 1257 he taxied the aircraft from the parking ramp. According to the station agent, the aircraft had about 1/4 in. of wet snow on all its horizontal surfaces when it left the parking ramp. He said that some of the snow blew off as the aircraft moved toward the departure runway, but some of the snow appeared to stick to the aircraft's horizontal surfaces. Twelve of the passengers recalled that shortly after liftoff, the aircraft rolled to the right, back to the left, and back to the right. After the last roll, the right wingtip struck the ground and impact followed shortly thereafter. The aircraft crashed in an inverted position off the right side of the departure end of runway 21. According to other witnesses, the ground roll appeared normal. The Clarksburg Tower local controller said that he saw Flight 561 taxi to runway 21, and he cleared the flight for takeoff. He saw the aircraft during takeoff until it reached taxiway D, which is about 1,000 ft from the tower, but he did not see the aircraft after that point. He had spoken with the captain by telephone before the takeoff and had given him the 1215 special observation weather. He also radioed the same weather to Flight 561 when it was taxiing for takeoff. He stated that he saw no snow on the aircraft but that moderate snow was falling at the time. The Clarksburg approach controller said that he saw Flight 561 as it turned to line up for takeoff on runway 21. He watched the aircraft through binoculars and saw nothing abnormal as the takeoff roll began. He thought the aircraft was rotated about 1,900 ft down the runway and the liftoff appeared to him to be normal. He lost sight of the aircraft at 50 ft of altitude because of the poor visibility. He recalled that during Flight 561's takeoff, the runway lights were set at their highest intensity. He also stated that he saw no snow blow off the aircraft during its takeoff roll. Shortly after the aircraft disappeared from his view, he heard the sound of an emergency locator transmitter on 121.5 MHz. He asked the Cleveland Center controller if Flight 561 had established contact with him. Since his reply was negative, the approach controller closed the airport and activated the airport emergency plan. The control tower chief observed Flight 561 during takeoff. He lost sight of the aircraft when it was at an altitude of about 20 ft above the runway. At that time the aircraft's attitude appeared to be normal. A pilot in the terminal restaurant said that when the aircraft left the parking ramp, he saw about 1/2 to 1 in. of snow on the wing and tail surfaces of the aircraft. He said that the takeoff appeared normal; but, just before the aircraft disappeared into the overcast, it appeared to pitch up sharply. Another witness who had experience as a pilot was located on taxiway C about 75 ft from the runway. He thought the aircraft lifted off about 200 to 300 ft past taxiway C. Shortly after liftoff, he saw the right wing of the aircraft dip about 45°, then the left wing dipped about the same amount, and the right wing dipped again before the aircraft disappeared from his view about 100 ft above the runway. Shortly thereafter, he heard two separate and distinct sounds of impact. The witness heard no unusual engine noises from the aircraft. The aircraft crashed during daylight hours at an elevation of 1,203 ft ms1. A passenger and a crew member were killed while 23 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

The pilot-in-command adopted a wrong approach configuration and passed over the runway 28 threshold at an excessive speed of 184 knots (61 knots above the Vref) in a nose down attitude. The nose gear landed first at a speed of 163 knots (40-45 knots above normal touchdown speed) 2,540 feet past the runway threshold (runway 28 is 5,500 feet long). Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck a drainage ditch, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 728 past the runway end. All 77 occupants were evacuated safely, one of them was slightly injured.

Allegheny Airlines Flight 121, a Douglas DC-9-31, suffered a landing accident on the Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania. Of the 106 persons onboard, 86 persons were injured; there were no fatalities. The captain of Flight 121 had conducted an instrument approach to runway 27R in visual conditions as a thunderstorm passed over the airport in a north-northeasterly direction. When near the threshold the captain initiated a go-around from a low altitude and entered rain of increasing intensity. Shortly thereafter the aircraft was seen descending in a nose-up attitude with the landing gear retracted. After striking tail first on a taxiway about 4,000 feet beyond the threshold of runway 27, the aircraft slid about 2,000 feet and stopped. The wreckage came to rest about 6,000 feet beyond the threshold and about 350 feet to the right of the centerline of runway 27R.

The aircraft was performing a flight from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati with an intermediate stop in Parkersburg. Upon landing at Parkersburg Airport, West Virginia, the crew encountered technical problems with the right main gear. The captain increased engine power and decided to return to Pittsburgh-Greater Pittsburgh Airport for a safe landing. Upon touchdown on runway 28R, as the wheels were missing on the right main gear, the airplane deviated from the centerline to the right when the left main gear collapsed as well. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all 53 occupants escaped uninjured.

During a non precision approach to New Haven-Tweed Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls. On final, the pilot-in-command passed below the glide slope and continued the approach until the airplane struck cottages and crashed in flames 4,890 feet short of runway 02. Three occupants survived while 28 others were killed.

An Allegheny Airlines DC-9 and a Forth Corporation Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee registered N7374J collided in flight approximately 4 miles northwest of Fairland, Indiana, at approximately 1529 e.d.t., September 9, 1969. All 83 occupants, 78 passengers and four crew members, aboard the DC-9 and the pilot of the PA-28 were fatally injured. Both aircraft were destroyed by the collision and ground impact. Allegheny flight AL853 was wider positive radar control of the Federal Aviation Administration's Indianapolis Approach Control, descending from 6,000 feet to an assigned altitude of 2,530 feet at the time of the collision. N7374J has being flown by a student pilot on a solo cross-country flight in accordance with a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan. The collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 3,550 feet. The visibility in the area was at least 15 miles, but there was an intervening cloud condition wbich precluded the crew of either aircraft from sighting the other until a few seconds prior to collision.

Allegheny Airlines Flight 737 was a scheduled passenger flight from Washington, DC, to Detroit, MI, with en route stops at Harrisburg, Bradford, and Erie, PA. The flight was uneventful until it arrived in the Bradford area, about 20:22. About 20:23, Erie Approach Control asked flight 737 to report their distance to the airport: "Allegheny seven thirty seven, what are you showing DME from Bradford?". Upon which the crew replied, "Fifteen". Erie Approach Control then instructed, "... descend and cruise four thousand via Victor thirty three and cleared for the VOR thirty two (runway 32) approach to the Bradford Airport, report leaving six and Bradford's current weather sky partially obscured, measured ceiling eight hundred overcast, visibility one and one half and light snow showers, wind one seventy degrees at ten (knots) Bradford altimeter twenty nine point four nine." At ten miles from the airport Flight 737 asked for clearance to make its instrument approach to runway 14 instead of runway 32. The Bradford FSS Specialist obtained approval for this change from Erie Approach Control and so advised the flight. At 20:31 the flight reported completing the procedure turn inbound. The Convair clipped treetops 4,7nm short of the airport and cut a swath through trees bordering a fairway of the Pine Acres Golf Course. The aircraft came to rest inverted. Both pilots and 9 passengers were killed while 17 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Allegheny Airlines Flight 736 departed Detroit, MI for a flight to Washington, DC with intermediate stops at Erie, Bradford and Harrisburg, PA. The Convair CV-580 took off from Erie at 19:46. At 20:06 Flight 736 reported over the VOR outbound at the beginning of the instrument approach procedure. Erie Approach Control then told the crew to contact the Bradford Flight Service Station (FSS). At 20:08:47 the flight reported that they were doing the procedure turn inbound for runway 32 and Bradford FSS told them wind was 290 degrees at 15 knots. The Convair descended in light snow showers until the aircraft contacted trees along terrain which had an average upslope of 1.5deg some 2,5 NM short of the runway. The airplane cut a swath through the trees and impacted the ground at a point 800 feet from the initial tree contact. The fuselage came to rest inverted.

During the takeoff roll on runway 26, the electrical system failed. The crew aborted the takeoff maneuver, started an emergency braking procedure and triggered the reverse thrust system. The reverse thrust system failed to work so the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. Past the runway end, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest against a metallic tower supporting the approach light system. All 16 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Allegheny Airlines, Inc., Flight 604, a Convair 340/440, N8415H, crashed 5 miles east-northeast of the Williamsport-Lycoming County Airport, Montoursville, Pennsylvania, on July 23, 1965. The 36 passengers, 3 crew members, and 1 jumpseat rider survived but received varying degrees of injuries. The flight, regularly scheduled from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Newark, New Jersey, with intermediate stops at Dubois, Phillipsburg, Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, departed Runway 09 at 1503. e.d.t. Shortly after takeoff smoke and fire were observed coming from the right engine and at approximately 1505:30 the captain advised "Six oh four is coming back in, we've got the right engine feathered.” The crash occurred moments later on the crest of a ridge approximately 600 feet above the airport elevation. The aircraft was destroyed by fire. The failure of the right engine is attributed to the failure of the front row master rod and all the associated link rods. Damage to the rod ends precluded any determination of the cause of the master rod failure.