Date & Time: Jun 29, 1972 at 1037 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-580
Operator:
Registration:
N90858
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Houghton – Ironwood – Green Bay – Oshkosh – Milwaukee – Chicago
MSN:
83
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
NC290
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
15688
Captain / Total hours on type:
3079
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4462
Copilot / Total hours on type:
62
Aircraft flight hours:
45905
Circumstances:
The airplane was on its way from Green Bay to Oshkosh, flying at an altitude of 2,500 feet in relative good weather conditions when it collided with an Air Wisconsin De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 registered N4043B. En route from Sheboygan to Appleton with six passengers and two pilots on board, the Twin Otter was descending to Appleton Airport. At the time of the accident, both airplanes were flying under VFR in an uncontrolled airspace. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into Lake Winnebago, some five miles southeast of Appleton Airport. Debris were found floating on water, both airplanes were totally destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The failure of both flight crews to detect visually the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action. the Board is unable to determine why each crew failed to see and avoid the other aircraft; however, the Board believes that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the atmospheric conditions and human visual limitations.
Final Report:
N90858.pdf1.09 MB