Date & Time:
Nov 7, 1977 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Sabreliner 40
Operator:
Mechanical Equipment Company
Registration:
N77AP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New Orleans - Fort Lauderdale
MSN:
282-37
YOM:
1965
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
243
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from New Orleans-Lakefront Airport runway 35, while climbing by night to a height of 300 feet, the airplane entered a left turn then struck the water surface and crashed into Lake Pontchartrain. A pilot was seriously injured while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled collision with water during initial climb after the crew failed to maintain a positive rate of climb. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Failed to use the checklist.
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Failed to use the checklist.
Final Report:
N77AP.pdf79.04 KB
