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December 1993
Training, Deicing and Emergency Checklist Linked in MD-81 Accident Following Clear-ice Ingestion by Engines 8 pages. [PDF 67K]
While the crew of a Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) jet transport was praised for its skill in executing an off-airport landing in an aircraft without operating engines, Swedish accident investigators found serious deficiencies in aircraft ground deicing procedures and no awareness of a throttle system that contributed to the severity of engine surges that destroyed both engines.
November 1993
Fatal Commuter Crash Blamed on Visual Illusion, Lack of Cockpit Coordination 4 pages. [PDF 47K]
On a night visual approach to a northern Canadian airport, the crew failed to adequately monitor the aircraft’s altitude. The captain’s visual range was also restricted by his seating position.
October 1993
Fatal Commuter Training Flight Crash Blamed on Spatial Disorientation, Poor Judgment 6 pages. [PDF 35K]
An instructor pilot with two captain trainees on board set up training scenarios at night that constituted multiple emergencies. When a pilot trainee began suffering from spatial disorientation, the instructor refused his request to take control of the aircraft and decided instead to talk him through the emergency, with tragic results.
September 1993
Tire Failure on Takeoff Sets Stage for Fatal Inflight Fire and Crash 6 pages. [PDF 39K]
When the crew of a chartered DC-8 carrying hundreds of religious pilgrims elected to continue takeoff after the aircraft experienced blown tires, an error chain was established that led to tragedy.
August 1993
Faulty Angle-of-attack Sensor Provokes Go/No-go Decision with an Inadequately Coordinated Crew 8 pages. [PDF 46K]
Barely one second after rotation, the first officer, who was flying the Lockheed L-1011, decided that the aircraft was not going to fly and told the captain “You got it.” The captain, faced with a split-second decision, chose to reject the takeoff.
July 1993
Poor Management Decisions, Inadequate Flight Crew Training and Inexperience Cited in Fatal Commuter Crash 8 pages. [PDF 47K]
When an inadequately prepared captain, flying his first unsupervised revenue flight for a commuter airline, was paired with a low-time first officer, a fatal error chain was established. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board report said the tragedy underscored several critical safety issues.
June 1993
Fatal Scenic Tour Flight Blamed on Poor Pilot Judgment, Inadequate Background Checks 6 pages. [PDF 52K]
After a Beech 18 with eight passengers crashed into mountainous terrain, investigators found that the pilot had falsified his flying experience. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also found that his employer had failed to conduct a substantive background check to verify the pilot’s experience and work history.
May 1993
U.S. Report: No Conclusive Evidence Found to Explain Boeing 737 Crash 6 pages. [PDF 35K]
A routine approach in gusting wind conditions ended suddenly on final to a Colorado airport. An exhaustive U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigation pointed to several possible factors but failed to determine a conclusive cause for the accident.
April 1993
U.S. Accident Report Blames Wing Ice and Airline Industry/FAA Failures In Fatal Fokker Crash 8 pages. [PDF 176K]
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a takeoff delay in icing conditions that exceeded the effective holdover time of Type I deicing fluids and the captain’s decision to use a lower rotation speed combined to doom the F28 airliner.
March 1993
Spatial Disorientation Linked to Fatal DC-8 Freighter Crash 6 pages. [PDF 40K]
After two missed approaches in instrument meteorological conditions at night, the captain took control of the aircraft from the first officer during climbout from the second missed approach. Seconds later, the airplane was out of control, and the first officer took the controls again. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board accident investigation suggests that better, and more timely, communication between the captain and first officer might have prevented the accident.
February 1993
U.S. Accident Report: Failure of Propeller Control System Downs Aircraft 6 pages. [PDF 129K]
A sudden, violent roll sent an Embraer EMB-120 plunging to the ground while on landing approach. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board report determined that a failure in the left-engine propeller control unit caused an unrecoverable loss-of-control.
January 1993
Missing Screws Send Commuter Plummeting 8 pages. [PDF 55K]
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board officials say failure to follow required maintenance procedures and poor management supervision led to the violent inflight breakup of Continental Express Flight 2574.
