Narrative:
The Hawker Siddeley HS-125-600A crashed into a residential area near McLean, Virginia. The corporate aircraft had departed Washington National Airport 4 minutes earlier and was en route to Birmingham, Alabama. After a flight crew member reported that the aircraft was climbing through 9,300 feet, monitoring radar stations lost continuous reception of the aircraft's primary and secondary radar target information. Shortly thereafter, ground witnesses saw an explosion in the sky followed by the wreckage of the aircraft falling to the ground. The sky was overcast and light rain was falling. The four persons aboard were killed and the aircraft was destroyed. One residence and two automobiles were destroyed by impact and fire, and several other homes were damaged by falling debris.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A failure or malfunction of an undetermined nature in the pilot's attitude indicating system which led to a loss of control and overstress of the aircraft structure."
Airframe failure
Loss of control
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 28 April 1977 |
| Time: | 20:38 |
| Type: |  Hawker Siddeley HS-125-600A |
| Operator: | Southern Company Services |
| Registration: | N40PC |
| MSN: | 256010 |
| First flight: | 1973 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1904 |
| Engines: | 2 Rolls-Royce Viper 601-22 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | McLean, VA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America |
| Birmingham Airport, AL (BHM/KBHM), United States of America |
The Hawker Siddeley HS-125-600A crashed into a residential area near McLean, Virginia. The corporate aircraft had departed Washington National Airport 4 minutes earlier and was en route to Birmingham, Alabama. After a flight crew member reported that the aircraft was climbing through 9,300 feet, monitoring radar stations lost continuous reception of the aircraft's primary and secondary radar target information. Shortly thereafter, ground witnesses saw an explosion in the sky followed by the wreckage of the aircraft falling to the ground. The sky was overcast and light rain was falling. The four persons aboard were killed and the aircraft was destroyed. One residence and two automobiles were destroyed by impact and fire, and several other homes were damaged by falling debris.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A failure or malfunction of an undetermined nature in the pilot's attitude indicating system which led to a loss of control and overstress of the aircraft structure."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
ADI issues Airframe failure
Loss of control
Photos
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 Washington-National Airport, DC to Birmingham Airport, AL as the crow flies is 1043 km (652 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Washington-National Airport, DC to Birmingham Airport, AL as the crow flies is 1043 km (652 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
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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