Accident Douglas DC-9-15 N1063T,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 332187
 

Date:Thursday 9 March 1967
Time:11:53
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC91 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Douglas DC-9-15
Owner/operator:Trans World Airlines - TWA
Registration: N1063T
MSN: 45777/80
Year of manufacture:1967
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7
Fatalities:Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25
Other fatalities:1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:near Urbana, OH -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Pittsburgh International Airport, PA (PIT/KPIT)
Destination airport:Dayton-James Cox Dayton International Airport, OH (DAY/KDAY)
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
TWA 553 operated on a flight from New York to Chicago via Harrisburgh, Pittsburgh, and Dayton. The aircraft operated on an IFR flight plan in visual flight conditions and had been cleared to descend from FL200 to 3000 feet. While descending through 4525 feet the DC-9 collided with a Beechcraft 55 (N6127V operated by the Tann Comp.) which was on a flight to Springfield. The descending DC-9, overtaking and converging from the left, struck the level Beechcraft from the left rear quarter. The collision angle between longitudinal axes of the two aircraft was approx. 47deg in the horizontal plane and 10deg down in the vertical plane. The collision destroyed the Beechcraft by causing it to disintegrate; portions of the Beech penetrated the forward fuselage section of the DC-9 and destroyed the integrity of the flight control system. The DC-9 entered a descending left turn, crashed and burned. The Beechcraft was not under control of, or in radio contact with any FAA traffic facility. Weather at the time of the collision was thin broken clouds with 6-7 miles visibility in haze.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the DC-9 crew to see and avoid the Beechcraft. Contributing to this cause were physiological and environmental conditions and the excessive speed of the DC-9 which reduced visual detection capabilities under an air traffic control system which was not designed or equipped to separate a mixture of controlled and uncontrolled traffic."

Sources:

ICAO Accident Digest Circular 107-AN/81 (38-54)

Location

Images:


photo (c) Bob Garrard; Pittsburgh International Airport, PA (PIT/KPIT); 09 March 1967

Revision history:

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