ASN Aircraft accident Fairchild FH-227B N7818M Albany Airport, NY (ALB)

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Status:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:	Friday 3 March 1972
Time:	20:48
Type:	Fairchild FH-227B
Operator:	Mohawk Airlines
Registration:	N7818M
MSN:	541
First flight:	1967
Total airframe hrs:	10068
Cycles:	15714
Engines:	2 Rolls-Royce Dart 532-7
Crew:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:	Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 45
Total:	Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 48
Ground casualties:	Fatalities: 1
Aircraft damage:	Damaged beyond repair
Location:	6 km (3.8 mls) S of Albany Airport, NY (ALB) ( United States of America)
Phase:	Approach (APR)
Nature:	Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), United States of America
Destination airport:	Albany Airport, NY (ALB/KALB), United States of America
Flightnumber:	405

Narrative:
The aircraft was 8,5 miles S of the airport on an ILS back course approach to runway 01 when the crew reported problems with the propeller cruise lock. The prop could not be feathered and the aircraft struck a house 3,5 miles short of the runway.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The inability of the crew to feather the left propeller, in combination with the descent of the aircraft below the prescribed minimum altitudes for the approach. The Board is unable to determine why the left propeller could not be feathered. Contributing causal factors for the nonstandard approach were the captain's preoccupation with a cruise pitch lock malfunction, the first officer's failure to adhere to company altitude awareness procedures, and the captain's failure to delegate any meaningful responsibilities to the copilot which resulted in a lack of effective task sharing during the emergency. Also, the Board was unable to determine why the propeller pitch lock malfunctioned during the descent."

Accident investigation:

Investigating agency:	NTSB
Status:	Investigation completed
Duration:	1 year and 1 months
Accident number:	NTSB/AAR-73-08
Download report:	Final report

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 5 Safety Recommendations

Show all...

Photos

accident date: 03-03-1972
type: Fairchild FH-227B
registration: N7818M

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 New York-La Guardia Airport, NY to Albany Airport, NY as the crow flies is 218 km (136 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.

languages:

Fairchild FH-227

78 built
5^th loss
5^th fatal accident
4^th worst accident (at the time)
12^th worst accident (currently)

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Issued: 07-JUL-1972	To:	A-72-100
REQUIRE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THE MOHAWK AIRLINES OPERATIONS MANUAL AND OTHER FH-227 AIR CARRIER OPERATIONS MANUALS BE REVISED TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH CONTINUED OPERATION, ATTEMPTED LANDINGS, AND MISSED APPROACHES WITH A PROPELLER "HUNG" ON THE CRUISE PITCH LOCK. (Closed - Acceptable Action)
Issued: 07-JUL-1972	To:	A-72-101
REQUIRE THAT ALL CARRIERS OPERATING FH-227B AIRCRAFT REVISE THEIR RECURRENT GROUND TRAINING CURRICULA TO INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FH-227B WHEN OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT WITH A CRUISE PITCH LOCK MALFUNCTION. EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED UPON FLIGHT CONDITIONS INVOLVING A WINDMILLING PROPELLER ON THE CRUISE PITCH OR FLIGHT FINE LOCKS AND THE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH CONDITIONS. (Closed - Acceptable Action)
Issued: 07-JUL-1972	To:	A-72-99
REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE PRESENT CRUISE PITCH LOCK EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. THE REVIEW SHOULD INCLUDE AN EVALUATION OF THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES SET FORTH BY THE ROLLS ROYCE COMPANY IN THEIR SERVICE BULLTIN NO. 61-10A TO ASCERTAIN IF THESE PROCEDURES ARE PREFERABLE TO THOSE NOW IN EFFECT. (Closed - Acceptable Action)
Issued: 18-MAY-1973	To:	A-73-14
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT THE ARMING OF THE EMERGENCY CABIN LIGHTING BE INCLUDED IN CHECKLISTS USED BEFORE EACH TAKEOFF AND LANDING. (Closed - Acceptable Action)
Issued: 18-MAY-1973	To:	A-73-15
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION BRING THIS ACCIDENT TO THE ATTENTION OF APPROPRIATE FAA AND AIR CARRIER PERSONNEL. ESTABLISHED PILOT TRAINING PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS MANUALS SHOULD BE REVISED TO INCLUDE GUIDANCE ON TIME AND TASK SHARING IN ABNORMAL AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE NEED OF PREPLANNING TASK AND TIME SHARING BY THE CREW BEFORE AN UNUSUAL OR EMERGENCY SITUATION ARISES. (Closed - Unacceptable Action)