ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37960
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| Date: | Tuesday 5 January 1982 |
| Time: | 07:49 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31-310 Navajo |
| Owner/operator: | Empire Airlines |
| Registration: | N546BA |
| MSN: | 31-709 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 6.7 miles from Oneida County Airport, Utica, New York -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Oneida County Airport (UCA/KUCA) Utica, New York) |
| Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA) Washington, DC | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On January 5, 1982, Empire Airlines Flight 141, a scheduled commuter fight between Utica,'New York, and Washington, D.C., crashed while attempting an approach to Tompkins County Airport, Ithaca, New York, an en route stop. The flight crew had contacted Elmira approach control and had received instructions for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 32 at Tompkins County Airport.
About 07:40 EST, the co-pilot declared an emergency stating that the airplane had a landing flap problem; he later stated that only one flap was down. He also stated that they were not able to maintain altitude and that the airplane was descending. Elmira approach lost radar contact with the airplane about 07:41 EST; the last radio transmission from the flight was recorded about 07:45 EST.
The airplane crashed in a wooded area near three suburban residences. The pilot and copilot, the only persons aboard, were killed. There were no injuries to personnel on the ground. The airplane was destroyed by impact and post impact fire
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was excessive wear of the left flap motor/flexible drive spline and certification of the airplane with a flap system that did not meet the requirements of Civil Air Regulation 3.339. The worn spline caused a split flap condition of 34 that resulted in marginal flight control authority. Moderate low altitude turbulence and transient low level wind shear may have contributed to the upset and loss of control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: DCA82AA009 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020917X01906&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=546BA
3. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Empire-Airlines/Piper-PA-31-310-Navajo/969660
4. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8211.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 23-May-2015 21:04 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 23-May-2015 21:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Embed code] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 22-Apr-2017 18:48 | TB | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code] |
| 27-Sep-2017 20:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Sep-2017 20:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Feb-2020 15:08 | harro | Updated [Source, Accident report, ] |
| 19-Jul-2020 17:15 | BEAVERSPOTTER | Updated [Cn] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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