Accident description
Last updated: 23 May 2013
Status:Final
Date:14 NOV 1970
Time:19:36 EST
Type:McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
Operator:Southern Airways
Registration: N97S
C/n / msn: 47245/510
First flight: 1969
Total airframe hrs:3667
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7
Crew:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Passengers:Fatalities: 71 / Occupants: 71
Total:Fatalities: 75 / Occupants: 75
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:1,6 km (1 mls) W of Huntington, WV (United States of America) show on map
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Kinston-Stallings Field, NC (ISO), United States of America
Destination airport:Huntington-Tri-State/Milton Airport, WV (HTS), United States of America
Flightnumber: 932
Narrative:
Southern Airlines Flight 932 departed Kinston, NC at 18:38 to return members of the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and other passengers to Huntington. After an uneventful flight, the crew contacted Huntington Approach Control at 19:23. The controller later cleared them for a runway 11 localizer approach. At 19:34 the flight passed the Outer Marker and they cleared to land. In weather conditions of mist and light rain with low clouds (scattered clouds at 300 feet, broken overcast at 500 feet solid overcast at 1000 feet), the aircraft descended below MDA and struck trees on a hill, approx. 1 mile short of the runway. The aircraft then crashed and caught fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The descent below Minimum Descent Altitude during a non precision approach under adverse weather conditions, without visual contact with the runway environment. The Board has been unable to determine the reason for this descent, although the two most likely explanations are: a) improper use of cockpit instrument data; or b) an altimetry system error."

Events:

Sources:
» NTSB-AAR-72-11

Official accident investigation report
investigating agency: National Transport Safety Bureau (NTSB) - USA
report status: Final
report number: NTSB/AAR-72-11
report released:14-APR-1972
duration of investigation:517 days (1 year 5.1 months)
download report: Southern Airways, Inc., DC-9, N97S, Tri-State Airport, Huntington, West Virginia, November 14, 1970. (NTSB/AAR-72-11)
cover
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 3 Safety Recommendations

Show all AD's and Safety Recommendations

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 Kinston-Stallings Field, NC to Huntington-Tri-State/Milton Airport, WV as the crow flies is 551 km (344 miles).

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