Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Datum: | dinsdag 3 februari 1959 |
Tijd: | 23:56 |
Type: | Lockheed L-188A Electra |
Luchtvaartmaatschappij: | American Airlines |
Registratie: | N6101A |
Constructienummer: | 1015 |
Bouwjaar: | 1958-11-26 (2 months) |
Aantal vlieguren: | 302 |
Motoren: | 4 Allison 501-D13 |
Bemanning: | slachtoffers: 2 / inzittenden: 5 |
Passagiers: | slachtoffers: 63 / inzittenden: 68 |
Totaal: | slachtoffers: 65 / inzittenden: 73 |
Schade: | Afgeschreven |
Gevolgen: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
Plaats: | 1,5 km (0.9 mijl) NE van New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA) ( Verenigde Staten)
|
Fase: | Nadering (APR) |
Soort vlucht: | Binnenlandse lijnvlucht |
Vliegveld van vertrek: | Chicago-Midway Airport, IL (MDW/KMDW), Verenigde Staten |
Vliegveld van aankomst: | New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), Verenigde Staten |
Vluchtnummer: | AA320 |
Beschrijving:American Airlines Flight 320 was a scheduled service from Chicago-Midway Airport, Illinois, USA to New York-La Guardia Airport, New York. The aircraft, a Lockheed L-188A Electra, was off the ground at 21:43 hours and estimated one hour and forty-two minutes en route to New York.
At 23:27, Flight 320 made its first radio contact with La Guardia approach control. Nearing La Guardia Airport, the flight was given vectors for an ILS backcourse approach to runway 22.
Weather was reported to the crew as follows: "four hundred overcast; two miles visibility, light rain and fog".
At 23:53, the flight contacted La Guardia tower, stating they had passed New Rochelle. The flight was subsequently cleared to continue its approach to runway 22. Last radio contact was at 23:55:27 when the flight confirmed clearance to land. The Lockheed Electra aircraft descended until it struck the water seven seconds later, some 5000 feet short of the runway and 600 feet to the right of the extended centreline. Ground speed on impact was 150 mph and undercarriage and flaps were extended. The wreckage sank 10 m deep in the water of the East River.
The investigation board noted that American Airlines requested certification of their L-188A Electra aircraft for flight below 25,000 feet under which limitation it was unnecessary to install flight recorders. This was done in view of the cost of procurement, installation, and maintenance of flight recorders at the time.
The board stated: "a flight recorder in this aircraft would have enabled us to identify the causal factors involved in this accident with far greater precision".
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was premature descent below landing minimums which was the result of preoccupation of the crew on particular aspects of the aircraft and its environment to the neglect of essential flight instrument references for attitude and height above the approach surface.
Contributing factors were:
1. Limited experience of the crew with the aircraft type;
2. Faulty approach technique in which the autopilot was used in the heading mode to or almost to the surface;
3. Erroneous setting of the captain's altimeter;
4. Marginal weather in the approach area;
5. Possible misinterpretation of altimeter and rate of descent indicator; and
6. Sensory illusion with respect to height and attitude resulting from visual reference to the few lights existing in the approach area."
Accident investigation:
|
Investigating agency: | CAB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 11 months | Accident number: | 1-0038 | Download report: | Final report
|
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Bronnen:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 62-AN/57 (87-98)
Veiligheidsmaatregelen
CAB issued 2 Safety Recommendations
Issued: -- | To: FAA | N6101A (1) |
The Board has on previous occasions indicated its concern over the need for vigorous and comprehensive aircraft simulator programs in air carrier operations. The introduction of the Electra has increased our concern in this respect.
Accordingly, we have recommended that the Federal Aviation Agency give immediate consideration to the adoption of a requirement that any air carrier planning to introduce into service an aircraft type containing equipment, systems, or characteristics significantly different from those of predecessor aircraft, shall be required to institute an approved aircraft simulator program the completion of which shall be required before any pilot may be assigned as pilot-in-command in air transportation. |
Issued: -- | To: FAA | N6101A (2) |
The Board is of the view that the quality of flight recording systems which are available to the industry warrants the conclusion that no large aircraft introduced into air carrier service should be without a recorder. Accordingly, the Board is recommending that the FAA initiate action to amend the appropriate regulations to require that all large turbine engine aircraft used in air transportation be equipped with flight recorders. |
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Foto's
accident date:
03-02-1959type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N6101A
Kaart
Deze kaart geeft het vliegveld van vetrek weer en de geplande bestemming van de vlucht. De lijn tussen de vliegvelden geeft
niet de exacte vliegroute weer.
De afstand tussen Chicago-Midway Airport, IL en New York-La Guardia Airport, NY bedraagt 1156 km (722 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.