Accident Douglas DC-8-54F N8047U,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 328971

Date:	Sunday 18 December 1977
Time:	01:38
Type:	Douglas DC-8-54F
Owner/operator:	United Airlines
Registration:	N8047U
MSN:	45880/275
Year of manufacture:	1966
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT3D-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	5 km E of Kaysville, UT - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO)
Destination airport:	Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC/KSLC)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The aircraft was flying a holding pattern near Salt Lake City because of problems with the electrical system. The flight crew contacted the company maintenance and were absent from the approach control frequency for about 7,5 minutes. During this time the aircraft had entered an area near hazardous terrain. When the crew returned to the approach control frequency, they were told to initiate a left turn were instructed to climb immediately to 8000 feet. The aircraft eventually struck a 7665 feet high mountain at 7200 feet.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The approach controller's issuance and the flight crew's acceptance of an incomplete and ambiguous holding clearance in combination with the flight crew's failure to adhere to prescribed impairment-of-communications procedures and prescribed holding procedures. The controller's and flight crew's actions are attributed to probable habits of imprecise communication and of imprecise adherence to procedures developed through years of exposure to operations in a radar environment. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the aircraft's No.1 electrical system for unknown reasons."

Accident investigation: