Narrative:
A Lockheed Lodestar 18, registered N45W and owned by Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc, departed Montgomery-Dannelly Field, Alabama, at approximately 07:06 on company business flight to Jacksonville, Florida. En route altitude was 8000 feet.
A Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star US Air Force jet trainer, serial 51-4532A, departed Moody AFB at approximately 07:13 on a local IFR training flight.
The T-33 climbed to 20,000 feet following takeoff from Moody and proceeded to the Tallahassee VOR where it was cleared by Tallahassee Approach Control for penetration and an ILS approach to runway 36 at Tallahasse Airport. While under Tallahassee Approach Control, two ILS approaches were completed followed by two ILS missed approaches. After the second ILS missed approach, the flight was cleared at approximately 07:50 by Tallahassee Approach Control, "...from present position direct to the Tallahassee OMNI, maintain 3,000, anticipate routing Victor 22, Greenville, direct to Valdosta OMNI."
After that the T-33 reported VFR on top at 4000 feet. The crew continued VFR and requested a climb to 20.000 feet, direct to Valdosta, which was approved.
The two aircraft collided in midair at approximately 8,000 feet altitude, approximately 4.3 miles northwest of the Tallahassee VOR Station. The T-33 climbed up into the Lodestar. The Lodestar's right propeller cut through the forward end of the T-33 right tip tank. The Lodestar's fuselage lower surface scrubbed across the T-33's right wing upper surface just inboard of that tip tank at an angle of 14 degrees leftward from the T-33's longitudinal axis. The various impacts on the T-33's right wing caused it to yaw to the right, with the result that its tail assembly ripped through the Lodestar's left wing at a greater angle than that of initial impact. The Lodestar's left wing was severed from trailing edge to leading edge at this time. The impact severed the T-33's tail assembly causing loss of control. The T-33 entered an inverted flat spin in which it remained until contact with the ground. Both crew members of the T-33 ejected safely. The Lodestar crashed, killing all four on board.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was failure of the T-33 pilots to observe the Lodestar while climbing through its flight altitude. Unauthorized deviation from an IFR flight plan was a contribiting factor."
Loss of control
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 8 June 1962 |
| Time: | 07:56 |
| Type: |  Lockheed 18-56-23 Lodestar |
| Operator: | Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. |
| Registration: | N45W |
| MSN: | 18-2477 |
| First flight: | 1943 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Tallahassee, FL ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Montgomery-Dannelly Field, AL (MGM/KMGM), United States of America |
| Jacksonville-Thomas Cole Imeson Municipal Airport, FL, United States of America |
A Lockheed Lodestar 18, registered N45W and owned by Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc, departed Montgomery-Dannelly Field, Alabama, at approximately 07:06 on company business flight to Jacksonville, Florida. En route altitude was 8000 feet.
A Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star US Air Force jet trainer, serial 51-4532A, departed Moody AFB at approximately 07:13 on a local IFR training flight.
The T-33 climbed to 20,000 feet following takeoff from Moody and proceeded to the Tallahassee VOR where it was cleared by Tallahassee Approach Control for penetration and an ILS approach to runway 36 at Tallahasse Airport. While under Tallahassee Approach Control, two ILS approaches were completed followed by two ILS missed approaches. After the second ILS missed approach, the flight was cleared at approximately 07:50 by Tallahassee Approach Control, "...from present position direct to the Tallahassee OMNI, maintain 3,000, anticipate routing Victor 22, Greenville, direct to Valdosta OMNI."
After that the T-33 reported VFR on top at 4000 feet. The crew continued VFR and requested a climb to 20.000 feet, direct to Valdosta, which was approved.
The two aircraft collided in midair at approximately 8,000 feet altitude, approximately 4.3 miles northwest of the Tallahassee VOR Station. The T-33 climbed up into the Lodestar. The Lodestar's right propeller cut through the forward end of the T-33 right tip tank. The Lodestar's fuselage lower surface scrubbed across the T-33's right wing upper surface just inboard of that tip tank at an angle of 14 degrees leftward from the T-33's longitudinal axis. The various impacts on the T-33's right wing caused it to yaw to the right, with the result that its tail assembly ripped through the Lodestar's left wing at a greater angle than that of initial impact. The Lodestar's left wing was severed from trailing edge to leading edge at this time. The impact severed the T-33's tail assembly causing loss of control. The T-33 entered an inverted flat spin in which it remained until contact with the ground. Both crew members of the T-33 ejected safely. The Lodestar crashed, killing all four on board.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was failure of the T-33 pilots to observe the Lodestar while climbing through its flight altitude. Unauthorized deviation from an IFR flight plan was a contribiting factor."
Classification:
Mid air collisionLoss of control
Sources:
» CABPhotos
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 Montgomery-Dannelly Field, AL to Jacksonville-Thomas Cole Imeson Municipal Airport, FL as the crow flies is 494 km (309 miles).
Distance from Montgomery-Dannelly Field, AL to Jacksonville-Thomas Cole Imeson Municipal Airport, FL as the crow flies is 494 km (309 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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