ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-53 (DC-3) N51071 Evansville-Dress Regional Airport, IN (EVV)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Tuesday 13 December 1977
Time:19:22
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas C-53 (DC-3)
Operator:Air Indiana
Registration: N51071
MSN: 4837
First flight: 1941
Total airframe hrs:19777
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94
Crew:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26
Total:Fatalities: 29 / Occupants: 29
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Evansville-Dress Regional Airport, IN (EVV) (   United States of America)
Phase: Initial climb (ICL)
Nature:Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Evansville-Dress Regional Airport, IN (EVV/KEVV), United States of America
Destination airport:Nashville Metropolitan Airport, TN (BNA/KBNA), United States of America
Flightnumber: 216
Narrative:
A Douglas DC-3, N51071, operated as a passenger charter flight to transport the University of Evansville basketball team and associated personnel from Evansville, Indiana, to Nashville, Tennessee. The aircraft departed runway 18 in instrument meteorological conditions. The plane crashed less than 1 minute 30 seconds after takeoff. All 29 persons aboard died in the crash.
The aircraft was operated by National Jet Services, which was doing business as Air Indiana.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "An attempted take-off with the rudder and right aileron control locks installed, in combination with a rearward centre of gravity, which resulted in the aircraft's rotating to a nose-high attitude immediately after take-off, and entering the region of reversed command from which the pilot was unable to recover. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the flight crew to ensure that the passenger baggage was loaded in accordance with the configuration contained on the load manifest. Their failure resulted in a rearward centre of gravity that was aft of the optimum range, but forward of the rearmost limit."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 247 days (8 months)
Accident number: NTSB/AAR-78-10
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Centre of Gravity outside limits
Locked rudders/ailerons/gustlock
Loss of control

Sources:
» Flight International 31 December 77(1893)


Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 3 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of Douglas-C-53-N51071
accident date: 13-12-1977
type: Douglas C-53 (DC-3)
registration: N51071
 

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 Evansville-Dress Regional Airport, IN to Nashville Metropolitan Airport, TN as the crow flies is 224 km (140 miles).

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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Douglas DC-3

  • ca 13.000 built
  • 4301st loss
  • 1696th fatal accident
  • 53rd worst accident (at the time)
  • 58th worst accident (currently)
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