Virginia

Henson Airlines flight 1517 was cleared for an instrument approach to the Shenandoah Valley Airport, Weyers Cave, Virginia, at 0959 on September 23, 1985, after a routine flight from Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at Shenandoah Valley Airport. there were 12 passengers and 2 crew members aboard the scheduled domestic passenger flight operating under 14 CFR 135. Radar service was terminated at 1003. The crew of flight 1517 subsequently contacted the Henson station agent and Shenandoah unicom. The last recorded radar return was at 1011, at which time the airplane was east of the localizer course at 2,700 feet mean sea level and on a magnetic track of about 075°. At 1014 the pilot said, '..we're showing a little west of course...' and at 1015 he asked if he was east of course. At 1017, the controller suggested a missed approach if the airplane was not established on the localizer course. There was no response from the crew of flight 1517 whose last recorded transmission was at 1016. The wreckage of flight 1517 was located about 1842 approximately six miles east of the airport. Both crew members and all 12 passengers were fatally injured.

After being delayed at least 2 days at Youngstown, OH, due to maintenance problems the pilot departed at approximately 1725 hours with the knowledge that the weather at his destination was ift to lifr. In addition, the pilot was scheduled for a vacation and had expressed hopes of departing on it that evening. The aircraft was seen circling West Point Municipal Airport in and out of low clouds, fog, and/or smoke from a nearby mill. Immediately before the aircraft collided with trees 6.5 miles west of the airport, a witness saw red lights, one on the rear and one close to the front of the aircraft, which was estimated to be flying at approximately tree top level. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft crashed during an ILS approach following an engine power loss while on an air taxi freight flight. The pilot related that at about 550 feet on the approach to runway 23 the left engine fuel pressure warning light illuminated and the left engine lost power. The pilot opened the crossfeed valve and shortly the right fuel pressure warning light illuminated followed by a loss of power on the right engine. Investigation revealed that there is one fuel gauge for the tank system and a selector switch must be activated to determine the fuel quantity in any desired tank. The pilot's action in selecting crossfeed and not closing the fuel shut off valve allowed fuel to be diverted from the operative right engine resulting in a loss of power due to fuel starvation. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

On final approach to Davison AAF, the crew encountered foggy conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cw3 Richard N. Blunt, pilot,
Cw2 John D. Hensley, copilot.
Passengers:
Ltc James E. Palmer,
Msg William Reeves.

Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported to the tower that the left engine had failed. The propeller was feathered and a left turn to downwind initiated. In the turn the right engine failed and the aircraft flew into trees in a residential area about 1 mile from the airport. No mechanical malfunctions were discovered. No fuel was found in either engine. The fuel selectors for both engines were on the outboard positions. Prior to departure the main fuel tanks were filled. No fuel was added to the outboard tanks. Impact ruptured the right outboard tank. Approximately one cup of fuel was drained from the left tank.

On a flight from Newark, NJ to Richmond, VA, the departure time was delayed, and subsequently, the aircraft did not arrive at Richmond until after the refueling facilities were closed. The pilot decided there was sufficient fuel aboard to complete the next flight to the Washington National Airport, so he departed on that flight. However, about 21 mikes from his destination, he declared a low-fuel state and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Vectors were provided toward Davison Army Airfield. However, both engines subsequently lost power from lack of fuel and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area approximately 500 yards short of runway 32. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were seriously injured.

The pilot filed an IFR clearance and took off on runway 30 after dark. At that time, the airport manager was in his living quarters, getting ready to eat his evening meal. He reported that from his position, the takeoff height looked normal. As the aircraft departed, he noticed no unusual sounds, except he heard what he thought was shots from a rifle. Another witness heard what he described as a loud pop and the sound of engine sputter followed by a crash sound. Later, the aircraft wreckage was found about 1,5 mile northwest of the airport. The investigation revealed that it had collided with trees and the wreckage was scattered over an area about 1,000 feet long. No preimpact malfunction or failure of the engines was found. The propeller blades were found twisted and bent. The flight controls were all accounted for and examined and no preimpact failures were found. No bullet impact marks were found on any piece of the wreckage. All eight occupants were killed.

Air Florida Flight 90 was scheduled to leave Washington National Airport at 14:15 EST for a flight to Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL (FLL), with an intermediate stop at the Tampa, FL (TPA). The aircraft had arrived at gate 12 as Flight 95 from Miami, FL, at 13:29. Because of snowfall, the airport was closed for snow removal from 13:38 to 14:53. At about 14:20 maintenance personnel began deicing the left side of the fuselage with deicing fluid Type II because the captain wanted to start the deicing just before the airport was scheduled to reopen (at 14:30) so that he could get in line for departure. Fluid had been applied to an area of about 10 feet when the captain terminated the operation because the airport was not going to reopen at 14:30. Between 14:45 and 14:50, the captain requested that the deicing operation be resumed. The left side of the aircraft was deiced first. No covers or plugs were installed over the engines or airframe openings during deicing operations. At 15:15, the aircraft was closed up and the jet way was retracted and the crew received push-back clearance at 15:23. A combination of ice, snow, and glycol on the ramp and a slight incline prevented the tug, which was not equipped with chains, from moving the aircraft. Then, contrary to flight manual guidance, the flight crew used reverse thrust in an attempt to move the aircraft from the ramp. This resulted in blowing snow which might have adhered to the aircraft. This didn't help either, so the tug was replaced and pushback was done at 15:35. The aircraft finally taxied to runway 36 at 15:38. Although contrary to flight manual guidance, the crew attempted to deice the aircraft by intentionally positioning the aircraft near the exhaust of the aircraft ahead in line (a New York Air DC-9). This may have contributed to the adherence of ice on the wing leading edges and to the blocking of the engine’s Pt2 probes. At 15:57:42, after the New York Air aircraft was cleared for takeoff, the captain and first officer proceeded to accomplish the pre-takeoff checklist, including verification of the takeoff engine pressure ratio (EPR) setting of 2.04 and indicated airspeed bug settings. Takeoff clearance was received at 15:58. Although the first officer expressed concern that something was 'not right' to the captain four times during the takeoff, the captain took no action to reject the takeoff. The aircraft accelerated at a lower-than-normal rate during takeoff, requiring 45 seconds and nearly 5,400 feet of runway, 15 seconds and nearly 2,000 feet more than normal, to reach lift-off speed. The aircraft initially achieved a climb, but failed to accelerate after lift-off. The aircraft’s stall warning stick shaker activated almost immediately after lift-off and continued until impact. The aircraft encountered stall buffet and descended to impact at a high angle of attack. At about 16.01, the aircraft struck the heavily congested northbound span of the 14th Street Bridge and plunged into the ice-covered Potomac River. It came to rest on the west end of the bridge 0.75 nmi from the departure end of runway 36. When the aircraft struck the bridge, it struck six occupied automobiles and a boom truck before tearing away a 41-foot section of the bridge wall and 97 feet of the bridge railings. Four persons in vehicles on the bridge were killed; four were injured, one seriously.

The pilot received two weather briefings, one on the evening before the flight, another at 1009 EST, within three hours of the takeoff time. IFR conditions were forecasted at the uncontrolled, destination airport. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan, but did not list an alternate airport. The aircraft departed Boca Raton at 1257 EST. The flight was uneventful en route and all communications were normal. During arrival, the pilot was cleared for a VOR 3 approach to runway 16. The minimum descent altitude (MDS) for the approach was 800 feet MSL (595 feet AGL) and the minimum visibility was one mile. Several witnesses at and near the airport saw or heard the aircraft. They described the aircraft as crossing the airport from the west side to the east. Those who saw it described it to be approximately 150 to 200 feet AGL, in and out of the clouds. Reportedly, the aircraft then circled and crossed the airport again. Subsequently, it struck an 80 feet tree, then impacted the ground in a steep descent. There was no evidence of failure or malfunction of the airframe or powerplant before impact. The aircraft was estimated to be 46 lbs over the max gross weight limit during impact. All eight occupants were killed.

While descending to Richlands Airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan and continued under VFR in marginal weather conditions. About one minute later, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of an obscured mountain ridge and crashed. All three occupants were killed.