Statuts:	Enquête Officielle
Date:	23 JUN 1976
Heure:	17:12 EDT
Type/Sous-type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
Compagnie:	Allegheny Airlines
Immatriculation:	N994VJ
Numéro de série:	47333/481
Année de Fabrication:	1969
Heures de vol:	21320
Moteurs:	2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7A
Equipage:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 4
Passagers:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 102
Total:	victimes: 0 / à bord: 106
Dégats de l'appareil:	Perte Totale
Conséquences:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Lieu de l'accident:	Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL) (Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
Phase de vol:	En approche (APR)
Nature:	Transport de Passagers Nat.
Aéroport de départ:	Windsor Locks-Bradley International Airport, CT (BDL/KBDL), Etats-Unis d'Amérique
Aéroport de destination:	Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL/KPHL), Etats-Unis d'Amérique
Numéro de vol:	121

Détails:
The crew aborted the runway 27R approach at low altitude in heavy rain. The aircraft sank back. A tail strike occurred and the aircraft slid 2000 feet.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The aircraft's encounter with severe horizontal and vertical wind shears near the ground as a result of the captain's continued approach into a clearly marginal severe weather condition. The aircraft's ability to cope under these conditions was borderline when flown according to standard operating procedures; however, if the aircraft's full aerodynamic and power capability had been used, the wind shear could probably have been flown through successfully. Contributing to the accident was the tower controller's failure to provide timely below-minimum RVR information."

Sources:
» ICAO Circular 146-AN/96 (148-161)
» NTSB-AAR-78-2