Narrative:
Mohawk Flight 40 took off from Elmira at 14:39 EDT for a flight to Washington, DC. At 14:44 the aircraft was cleared to climb to FL160. Eyewitnesses observed the aircraft a little later near Blossburg when large sections of the tail separated from the aircraft in flight, after which fire and smoke emitted from the tail as the aircraft dove into the ground.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The loss of integrity of empennage pitch control systems due to a destructive in-flight fire which originated in the airframe plenum chamber, fueled by hydraulic fluid, progressed up into the vertical tail fin. The fire resulted from engine bleed air flowing back through the malfunctioning nonreturn valve and an open air delivery valve, through the auxiliary power unit in a reverse direction, and exiting into the plenum chamber at temperatures sufficiently high to cause the acoustics linings to ignite."
Wing failure
Loss of control
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 23 June 1967 |
| Time: | 14:47 |
| Type: |  BAC One-Eleven 204AF |
| Operator: | Mohawk Airlines |
| Registration: | N1116J |
| MSN: | 098 |
| First flight: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2246 |
| Engines: | 2 Rolls-Royce Spey 506-14 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 30 / Occupants: 30 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 34 / Occupants: 34 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1,6 km (1 mls) E of Blossburg, PA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Elmira Regional Airport, NY (ELM/KELM), United States of America |
| Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 40 |
Mohawk Flight 40 took off from Elmira at 14:39 EDT for a flight to Washington, DC. At 14:44 the aircraft was cleared to climb to FL160. Eyewitnesses observed the aircraft a little later near Blossburg when large sections of the tail separated from the aircraft in flight, after which fire and smoke emitted from the tail as the aircraft dove into the ground.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The loss of integrity of empennage pitch control systems due to a destructive in-flight fire which originated in the airframe plenum chamber, fueled by hydraulic fluid, progressed up into the vertical tail fin. The fire resulted from engine bleed air flowing back through the malfunctioning nonreturn valve and an open air delivery valve, through the auxiliary power unit in a reverse direction, and exiting into the plenum chamber at temperatures sufficiently high to cause the acoustics linings to ignite."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Inflight fire Wing failure
Loss of control
Follow-up / safety actions
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Elmira Regional Airport, NY to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 365 km (228 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Elmira Regional Airport, NY to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 365 km (228 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the 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.
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BAC One-Eleven
- 245 built
- 4th loss
- 3rd fatal accident
- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 5th worst accident (currently)
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