Date:	Tuesday 13 December 1994
Time:	18:34
Type:	British Aerospace 3201 Jetstream 32
Owner/operator:	American Eagle
Registration:	N918AE
MSN:	918
Year of manufacture:	1990
Total airframe hrs:	6577 hours
Engine model:	Garrett TPE331-12
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 20
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	7,4 km SW of Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC (RDU) -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Greensboro/High Point-Piedmont Triad International Airport, NC (GSO/KGSO)
Destination airport:	Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC (RDU/KRDU)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Flight 3379 departed Greensboro at 18:03 with a little delay due to baggage rearrangement. The aircraft climbed to a 9000 feet cruising altitude and contacted Raleigh approach control at 18:14, receiving an instruction to reduce the speed to 180 knots and descend to 6000 feet. Raleigh final radar control was contacted at 18:25 and instructions were received to reduce the speed to 170 knots and to descend to 3000t. At 18:30 the flight was advised to turn left and join the localizer course at or above 2100 feet for a runway 05L ILS approach. Shortly after receiving clearance to land, the no. 1 engine ignition light illuminated in the cockpit as a result of a momentary negative torque condition when the propeller speed levers were advanced to 100% and the power levers were at flight idle. The captain suspected an engine flame out and eventually decided to execute a missed approach. The speed had decreased to 122 knots and two momentary stall warnings sounded as the pilot called for max power. The aircraft was in a left turn at 1800 feet and the speed continued to decrease to 103 knots, followed by stall warnings. The rate of descent then increased rapidly to more than 10000 feet/min. The aircraft eventually struck some trees and crashed about 4nm SW of the runway 5L threshold.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "1) The captain's improper assumption that an engine had failed and 2) the captain's subsequent failure to follow approved procedures for engine failure single-engine approach and go-around, and stall recovery.
Contributing to the cause of the accident was the failure of AMR Eagle/Flagship management to identify, document, monitor and remedy deficiencies in pilot performance and training." 

ICAO Adrep Summary 1/95
ICAO Adrep Summary 5/96
NTSB/AAR-95/07
Commuter Captain Fails to Follow Emergency Procedures After Suspected Engine Failure, Loses Control of the Aircraft During Instrument Approach (Flight Safety Foundation - Accident Prevention April 1996)

photo (c) NTSB; near Morrisville, NC; December 1994; (publicdomain)

photo (c) NTSB; near Morrisville, NC; December 1994; (publicdomain)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates