Narrative:
The Twin Otter, operating on a flight for Transwestern, approached Hailey runway 31 at an altitude of 800 feet when the captain reduced power. Suddenly, the aircraft nosed over and descended steeply. The pilot tried to control the descent by adding power. The plane crash-landed on a highway, veered off and struck a 4 feet high snow bank.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The in-flight loss of elevator control following separation of the control rod from the torque tube at a connection where the company's maintenance department had used a non-standard, unsecured bolt, which the company's inspection department had failed to detect. Contributing to the accident was the company's failure to maintain the separation of maintenance and inspection functions required by the maintenance program approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, and the failure of the FAA to detect the company's deviation from approved maintenance procedures during surveillance inspection."
Elevator issue
Loss of control
» NTSB-AAR-84-03
accident date: 15-02-1983
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
registration: N361V
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 15 February 1983 |
| Time: | 11:02 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 |
| Operator: | Sierra Pacific Airlines |
| Registration: | N361V |
| MSN: | 361 |
| First flight: | 1973 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4767 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1,7 km (1.1 mls) S of Hailey-Sun Valley Airport, ID (SUN) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Boise Air Terminal, ID (BOI/KBOI), United States of America |
| Hailey-Sun Valley Airport, ID (SUN/KSUN), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 868 |
The Twin Otter, operating on a flight for Transwestern, approached Hailey runway 31 at an altitude of 800 feet when the captain reduced power. Suddenly, the aircraft nosed over and descended steeply. The pilot tried to control the descent by adding power. The plane crash-landed on a highway, veered off and struck a 4 feet high snow bank.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The in-flight loss of elevator control following separation of the control rod from the torque tube at a connection where the company's maintenance department had used a non-standard, unsecured bolt, which the company's inspection department had failed to detect. Contributing to the accident was the company's failure to maintain the separation of maintenance and inspection functions required by the maintenance program approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, and the failure of the FAA to detect the company's deviation from approved maintenance procedures during surveillance inspection."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Elevator issue
Loss of control
Sources:
» Location of Commercial Aircraft Accidents/Incidents Relative to Runways / FAA, Office of Safety Oversight (DOT/FAA/AOV 90-1)» NTSB-AAR-84-03
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 2 Safety Recommendations
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Photos
accident date: 15-02-1983
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
registration: N361V
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 Boise Air Terminal, ID to Hailey-Sun Valley Airport, ID as the crow flies is 154 km (96 miles).
Distance from Boise Air Terminal, ID to Hailey-Sun Valley Airport, ID as the crow flies is 154 km (96 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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