Accident description
Last updated: 24 May 2013
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 12 FEB 1979 |
| Time: | 13:00 EST |
| Type: | Mohawk 298 |
| Operator: | Allegheny Airlines |
| Registration: | N29824 |
| C/n / msn: | 48 |
| First flight: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9140 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 22 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 25 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Clarksburg-Benedum Airport, WV (CKB) (United States of America)
 |
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Clarksburg-Benedum Airport, WV (CKB/KCKB), United States of America |
| Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 561 |
At 11:16 Allegheny Flight 561 departed Clarksburg for a flight to Morgantown, WV but the pilot decided not to make an approach at Morgantown because the ILS glide slope was out of service, and the visibility was 1/2 mile. The flight returned to Clarksburg and landed at 11:46.
The aircraft was refueled and prepared for a rescheduled flight 561 to Washington-National Airport. The Nord 262 was de-iced between 12:20 and 12:35. When the crew taxied out at about 12:57 there was again some wet snow on all its horizontal surfaces.
Shortly after lift-off from runway 21 the aircraft rolled 45deg to the right, 45deg to the left and back to the right again until the wing struck the ground. The aircraft crashed and came to rest inverted.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain's decision to take off with snow on the aircraft's wing and empennage surfaces which resulted in a loss of lateral control and a loss of lift as the aircraft ascended out of ground effect." Events:
Sources:
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-80-112/114
» NTSB-AAR-79-12
Official accident investigation report
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Photos
F-BSTN moved to Lina Congo in 1975 before Allegheny bought the Nord in July 1977; conversion to Mohawk 298 was accomplished in October of the same year.
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 Clarksburg-Benedum Airport, WV to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 278 km (174 miles).
Distance from Clarksburg-Benedum Airport, WV to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 278 km (174 miles).
