Accident description
Last updated: 22 May 2013
Status:Final
Date:10 AUG 1968
Time:08:57
Type:Fairchild FH-227B
Operator:Piedmont Airlines
Registration: N712U
C/n / msn: 557
First flight: 1967
Total airframe hrs:2197
Engines: 2 Rolls Royce 532-7 Dart
Crew:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 32 / Occupants: 34
Total:Fatalities: 35 / Occupants: 37
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Charleston, WV (United States of America) show on map
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY (CVG/KCVG), United States of America
Destination airport:Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV (CRW/KCRW), United States of America
Flightnumber: 230
Narrative:
Piedmont flight 230 was on an ILS localizer only approach to Charleston-Kanawha County Airport (CRW) runway 23 when it struck trees 360 feet from the runway threshold. The aircraft continued and struck up sloping terrain (+30deg) 250 feet short in a 4-5deg nose down attitude, slightly left wing down. The Fairchild continued up the hill and on to the airport, coming to rest 6 feet beyond the threshold and 50 feet from the right edge of the runway.
A layer of dense fog (about 150 feet thick) was obscuring the threshold and about half of the approach lights. Visual conditions existed outside the fog area.


PROBABLE CAUSE: "An unrecognized loss of altitude orientation during the final portion of an approach into shallow, dense fog. The disorientation was caused by a rapid reduction in the ground guidance segment available to the pilot at a point beyond which a go-around could not be successfully effected."

Events:



Sources:
» ICAO Circular 107-AN/81 (p.283-302)

Official accident investigation report
investigating agency: National Transport Safety Bureau (NTSB) - USA
report status: Final
report number: NTSB/AAR-69-06
report released:21-AUG-1969
duration of investigation:376 days (1 year )
download report: Piedmont Airlines Fairchild-Hiller 227B, N712U, Charleston, West Virginia, August 10, 1968. (NTSB/AAR-69-06)
cover

Follow-up / safety actions
Six safety recommendations were issued as a result of this accident. The recommendations a.o. focused on the dangers of shallow fog penetration.

Photos
No Photo Available

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 Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY to Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV as the crow flies is 275 km (172 miles).

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Fairchild FH-227

  • loss
  • 78 built
  • worst accident (at the time)
  • 5th worst accident (currently)
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 United States of America
  • 57th worst accident (at the time)
  • 97th worst accident (currently)
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