Narrative:
Piedmont Flight 22, a Boeing 727, took off from runway 16 at Asheville Municipal Airport in North Carolina, USA for an IFR flight to Roanoke in Virginia. The flight crew had to maintain runway heading until reaching 5000 feet. The controller placed this restriction on Flight 22 to keep it on a southeasterly course until a Cessna 310, registration N3121S, had reported over the Asheville VOR. The Cessna, owned by Lanseair, was on a company business flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Asheville with three occupants on board.
While the Boeing 727 was still on its takeoff roll the pilot of the Cessna reported "Two one Sierra just passed over the VOR, we're headed for the ... ... for .. ah .. Asheville now." The Approach controller then cleared the Cessna to descend and maintain 6000 feet. At 11:59:44 the controller cleared Flight 22 to "... climb unrestricted to the VOR, report passing the VOR". He then cleared the Cessna for an ADF-2 approach to runway 16. The Boeing 727 was in a climbing left turn when both aircraft collided at an altitude of 6132 feet. Just before the collision the Cessna was observed to pull up sharply, with impact occurring between the nose of the Cessna and the left forward fuselage section of the Boeing 727. The jet continued straight ahead momentarily, then nosed over and fell rapidly to the ground. The Cessna disintegrated in flight and crashed.
Weather included a 2500 feet ceiling with broken clouds and 4 miles visibility in haze.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The deviation of the Cessna from its IFR clearance resulting in a flight path into airspace allocated to the Piedmont Boeing 727. The reason for such deviation cannot be specifically or positively identified. The minimum control procedures utilized by the FAA in handling of the Cessna were a contributing factor."
Loss of control
accident date: 19-07-1967
type: Boeing 727-22
registration: N68650
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 19 July 1967 |
| Time: | 12:01 |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-22 |
| Operator: | Piedmont Airlines |
| Registration: | N68650 |
| MSN: | 18295/4 |
| First flight: | 1963-05-22 (4 years 2 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6445 |
| Engines: | 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 74 / Occupants: 74 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 79 / Occupants: 79 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Hendersonville, NC ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Asheville Municipal Airport, NC (AVL/KAVL), United States of America |
| Roanoke Municipal Airport, VA (ROA/KROA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 22 |
Piedmont Flight 22, a Boeing 727, took off from runway 16 at Asheville Municipal Airport in North Carolina, USA for an IFR flight to Roanoke in Virginia. The flight crew had to maintain runway heading until reaching 5000 feet. The controller placed this restriction on Flight 22 to keep it on a southeasterly course until a Cessna 310, registration N3121S, had reported over the Asheville VOR. The Cessna, owned by Lanseair, was on a company business flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Asheville with three occupants on board.
While the Boeing 727 was still on its takeoff roll the pilot of the Cessna reported "Two one Sierra just passed over the VOR, we're headed for the ... ... for .. ah .. Asheville now." The Approach controller then cleared the Cessna to descend and maintain 6000 feet. At 11:59:44 the controller cleared Flight 22 to "... climb unrestricted to the VOR, report passing the VOR". He then cleared the Cessna for an ADF-2 approach to runway 16. The Boeing 727 was in a climbing left turn when both aircraft collided at an altitude of 6132 feet. Just before the collision the Cessna was observed to pull up sharply, with impact occurring between the nose of the Cessna and the left forward fuselage section of the Boeing 727. The jet continued straight ahead momentarily, then nosed over and fell rapidly to the ground. The Cessna disintegrated in flight and crashed.
Weather included a 2500 feet ceiling with broken clouds and 4 miles visibility in haze.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The deviation of the Cessna from its IFR clearance resulting in a flight path into airspace allocated to the Piedmont Boeing 727. The reason for such deviation cannot be specifically or positively identified. The minimum control procedures utilized by the FAA in handling of the Cessna were a contributing factor."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Mid air collisionLoss of control
Follow-up / safety actions
In June 2006, the NTSB agreed to reopen an investigation into the collision. Local amateur historian Paul Houle filed a petition for reconsideration in March 2005 after years of investigating the history of the collision. Houle's petition made three main arguments:
1) The original NTSB report ignored the fact that the Cessna pilot reported his heading, which should have alerted the air traffic controller that there was a problem;
2) The NTSB report made no mention of a fire in a cockpit ashtray that preoccupied the Piedmont crew in the final 35 seconds before the collision; and 3) The lead NTSB investigator of the accident was the brother of a Piedmont vice president.
In early 2007, the NTSB decided to confirm their original findings, upholding the probable cause it found in 1968 for the midair collision. In a February 2007 letter, the NTSB notified Paul Houle it had voted 3-1 that his arguments were unsubstantiated. NTSB issued 1 Safety Recommendation
Show all...
1) The original NTSB report ignored the fact that the Cessna pilot reported his heading, which should have alerted the air traffic controller that there was a problem;
2) The NTSB report made no mention of a fire in a cockpit ashtray that preoccupied the Piedmont crew in the final 35 seconds before the collision; and 3) The lead NTSB investigator of the accident was the brother of a Piedmont vice president.
In early 2007, the NTSB decided to confirm their original findings, upholding the probable cause it found in 1968 for the midair collision. In a February 2007 letter, the NTSB notified Paul Houle it had voted 3-1 that his arguments were unsubstantiated. NTSB issued 1 Safety Recommendation
Show all...
Photos
accident date: 19-07-1967
type: Boeing 727-22
registration: N68650
Aircraft history
| date | registration | operator | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1963 | N68650 | Boeing | first flight |
| 30 April 1964 | N68650 | All Nippon Airways | delivered |
| 7 April 1965 | N68650 | Boeing | returned |
| 30 June 1965 | N68650 | Iran Air | leased |
| 1 Nov. 1966 | N68650 | Boeing | returned |
| 25 Feb. 1967 | N68650 | Piedmont | leased |
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 Asheville Municipal Airport, NC to Roanoke Municipal Airport, VA as the crow flies is 309 km (193 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Asheville Municipal Airport, NC to Roanoke Municipal Airport, VA as the crow flies is 309 km (193 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
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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Boeing 727
- 1832 built
- 6th loss
- 6th fatal accident
- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 24th worst accident (currently)
United States of America- 9th worst accident (at the time)
- 30th worst accident (currently)
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