Zone

Crash of a Cessna 208 Caravan I in Decatur

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1989 at 2140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9637F
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marion – Decatur
MSN:
208-0120
YOM:
1987
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7100
Captain / Total hours on type:
800.00
Aircraft flight hours:
742
Circumstances:
Departed Marion without a weather briefing. Pilot advised during approach that last person making approach reported moderate to severe turbulence on final. Subsequently cleared to land and given wind 360 at 30 gusting 40. Also advised that another aircraft reported a 20 knots windshear on final. The pilot reported that when he had descended to 1,500 feet msl, the aircraft encountered strong turbulence and the airspeed went from stall to redline. Despite adjustment to flaps and throttle, the airplane was uncontrollable.
Probable cause:
The pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather. Contributing factors were the pilot's poor evaluation of the weather information given him by the air traffic controllers.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Beechcraft 200C Super King Air in Madisonville

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1987 at 1215 LT
Registration:
N617MS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madisonville - Marion
MSN:
BL-35
YOM:
1981
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11875
Captain / Total hours on type:
2310.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2940
Circumstances:
The aircraft struck a 2-feet high Avgas pump while the pilot was taxiing around another aircraft that was parked. The nose gear collapsed and a small fire resulted. The pilot and passenger evacuated the aircraft. Line personnel were unable to extinguish the fire with hand-held extinguishers. The aircraft was subsequently engulfed by the fire and was destroyed. A large dry chemical fire extinguisher was located next to the pump at the time, but line personnel were unable to get to it due to the fire. The black top around the pump had recently been resurfaced and no safety markings, lights or barricades were in place around the pump (except for the large fire extinguisher). The pump was originally located next to the ramp edge, but subsequent expansion of the ramp left the pump surrounded by pavement.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: on ground/water collision with object
Phase of operation: taxi - to takeoff
Findings
1. (f) airport facilities, obstruction marking - inadequate
2. (f) other airport/runway maintenance - inadequate - airport personnel
3. (f) object - airport facility
4. (c) visual lookout - inadequate - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: nose gear collapsed
Phase of operation: taxi - to takeoff
Findings
5. Landing gear, nose gear - overload
----------
Occurrence #3: fire
Phase of operation: standing
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 414A Chancellor in Marion

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1983 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N5ER
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marion - Raleigh
MSN:
414A-0037
YOM:
1978
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
16372
Captain / Total hours on type:
1571.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1582
Circumstances:
During the takeoff run, at 85 knots, the aircraft hit a bump and the pilot stated his forward vision was obstructed by water on the windshield. He instinctively pulled back on the controls and become airborne. He lost sight of the right side set of runway lights and was reportedly flying 'blind.' The aircraft drifted left into trees and came to rest in shallow water in a backwater area 150 feet north of the departure end of runway 10. Many of the runway lights were either not operating or were obstructed. No lights in the last 1000 feet of the runway were both operating and unobstructed. The noaa airport/facility director contains a remark for the airport 'runway subject to flooding after very heavy rains.' This remark does not appear in the Jeppesen 'airport directory' that the pilot was using. After the accident the pilot stated he walked through the eastern end of the runway and found himself 'up to his ankles' in about 3 inches of water. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: in flight collision with object
Phase of operation: takeoff - initial climb
Findings
1. (f) airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - water,glassy
2. (f) charts/other manuals - inadequate
3. (f) unsafe/hazardous condition warning - not identified - manufacturer
4. (f) airport facilities,runway edge lights - inadequate
5. (f) other airport/runway maintenance - inadequate - airport personnel
6. (f) notams - not issued - airport personnel
7. (c) preflight planning/preparation - inadequate - pilot in command
8. (c) unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected - pilot in command
9. (f) light condition - dark night
10. (c) aircraft handling - inadequate - pilot in command
11. (c) visual/aural detection - pilot in command
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B in Saint Louis: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1973 at 1743 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4215
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Nashville – Clarksville – Paducah – Cape Girardeau – Marion – Saint Louis
MSN:
513
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
OZ809
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Captain / Total flying hours:
9170
Captain / Total hours on type:
4382.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3921
Copilot / Total hours on type:
989
Aircraft flight hours:
14300
Circumstances:
Ozark Air Lines Flight 809, an FH-227B, was a regular flight between Nashville Metropolitan Airport, TN (BNA) and St. Louis (STL), with intermediate stops at Clarksville, TN (CKV), Paducah, KY (PAH), Cape Girardeau Airport, MO (CGI) and Marion-Williamson County Airport, IL (MWA) with an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed Marion at 17:05. The flight proceeded via the V-335 airway toward St. Louis without difficulty. At 17:26, the Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (KCC) controller requested that Flight 809 make a 360 degree turn to the right. He advised that there would be about a 5-minute delay and that the right turn would keep the flight clear of the weather. At 17:28, the KCC controller cleared the flight to proceed to the St. Louis VOR and to contact St. Louis Approach Control. One minute later the first officer transmitted, "Approach, this is Ozark eight oh nine, seven thousand, with Quebec." Weather information 'Quebec' indicated: Estimated ceiling-4,000 feet broken, visibility-5 miles, haze and smoke, wind-120° at 8 knots , temperature-92 degrees, altimeter-30.06, ILS runway 12R approaches in use, landing and departing runways 12. The approach controller responded: "Ozark eight oh nine, Roger, maintain seven thousand and, ... continue toward the VOR, be vectors runway three zero left ILS." Between 17:32 and 17:39, the approach controller gave Flight 809 radar vectors through an area of thunderstorm cells that lay south and southeast of the St. Louis Airport. At 17:40, the controller cleared the flight for an ILS approach to runway 30L and cleared the flight crew to contact the St. Louis Control Tower. The Tower controller cleared the flight to land. At 17:42:31, the local controller said, "Ozark eight oh nine, it looks like a heavy rain shower moving right across the approach end of the runway now." The first officer replied, "Roger, we see it." After passing the Outer Marker, the aircraft began to descend below the glide slope until it struck the ground. First, the aircraft struck tree tops about 55 feet above the ground then crashed on a hillside located less than two miles from runway 30L threshold, in the district of Normandy. Two crew members and four passengers survived while all 38 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The aircraft's encounter with a downdraft following the captain's decision to initiate and continue an instrument approach into a thunderstorm. The captain's decision probably was influenced by the lack of a timely issuance of a severe weather warning by the National Weather Service, and the improper assessment of the weather conditions in the terminal area by the flight crew and the flight dispatcher.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Marion: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1973 at 1850 LT
Registration:
N1582U
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fremont - Marion
MSN:
207-0182
YOM:
1970
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
2094
Captain / Total hours on type:
9.00
Circumstances:
While on a VOR approach to Marion Airport, the pilot encountered limited visibility and descended below the MDA when the single engine airplane struck trees and crashed. The pilot was injured while the passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling and fog,
- Descended below MDA on VOR approach.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1972 at 1724 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N2690B
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marion - Tupelo
MSN:
560-190
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
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 Martin B-26C Marauder near Marion: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1959 at 1752 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1502
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chicago – Baltimore
MSN:
8904
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
10577
Captain / Total hours on type:
805.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3766
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1728
Aircraft flight hours:
2967
Circumstances:
The purpose of this flight was to transport the executives from Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to Baltimore, Maryland. Departure from Midway was at 1645LT. When the flight was near Marion, Ohio, and shortly after it had traversed an area of pronounced thunderstorm activity, it dived violently and nearly vertically to the ground. Destruction was of such extent that it could not be determined if a structural failure occurred in flight and consequently the probable cause of this accident could not be established.
Probable cause:
The Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident. However, circumstances suggest control difficulty of an undetermined nature during passage through an active developing line of thunderstorms.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Ironton: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1944 at 2220 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-16066
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Malden – Marion
MSN:
20532
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising by night over Missouri, the crew did not realize his altitude was too low. The aircraft hit a ridge and crashed in a mountainous region located 5,6 miles south of Ironton. All five occupants were killed.