Narrative:
Flight 3N18 departed Hill AFB for an IFR cargo flight to Nellis AFB. While climbing from FL120 to FL130 the crew reported loss of electrical power and requested no-gyro vectors to visual flight conditions and immediate descent clearance. During the descent the aircraft attained a high airspeed and high rate of descent and disintegrated in flight.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A progressive failure in the aircraft's electrical system leading to the disabling or erratic performance of some critical flight instruments and flight instrument lighting while the flight was operating in night instrument meteorological condition. As a result of these conditions, the flight crew could not resolve the instrumentation anomalies to determine proper aircraft attitude reference, and became disoriented and lost control of the aircraft. The crew's efforts to regain control of the aircraft imposed aerodynamic loads which exceeded design limits of the aircraft and caused it to break up in flight."
Electrical system problem
Fuselage failure
Loss of control
FDR parameters
accident date: 18-11-1979
type: Lockheed L-188CF Electra
registration: N859U
accident date: 18-11-1979
type: Lockheed L-188CF Electra
registration: N859U
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 18 November 1979 |
| Time: | 04:56 |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-188CF Electra |
| Operator: | Transamerica Airlines |
| Registration: | N859U |
| MSN: | 2016 |
| First flight: | 1960-04-06 (19 years 8 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 41764 |
| Engines: | 4 Allison 501-D13 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Salt Lake City, UT ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Ogden-Hill AFB, UT (HIF/KHIF), United States of America |
| Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV (LSV/KLSV), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 18 |
Flight 3N18 departed Hill AFB for an IFR cargo flight to Nellis AFB. While climbing from FL120 to FL130 the crew reported loss of electrical power and requested no-gyro vectors to visual flight conditions and immediate descent clearance. During the descent the aircraft attained a high airspeed and high rate of descent and disintegrated in flight.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A progressive failure in the aircraft's electrical system leading to the disabling or erratic performance of some critical flight instruments and flight instrument lighting while the flight was operating in night instrument meteorological condition. As a result of these conditions, the flight crew could not resolve the instrumentation anomalies to determine proper aircraft attitude reference, and became disoriented and lost control of the aircraft. The crew's efforts to regain control of the aircraft imposed aerodynamic loads which exceeded design limits of the aircraft and caused it to break up in flight."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Loss of situational awarenessElectrical system problem
Fuselage failure
Loss of control
Sources:
» NTSB-AAR-80-11Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 1 Safety Recommendation
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Photos
FDR parameters
accident date: 18-11-1979
type: Lockheed L-188CF Electra
registration: N859U
accident date: 18-11-1979
type: Lockheed L-188CF Electra
registration: N859U
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 Ogden-Hill AFB, UT to Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV as the crow flies is 601 km (375 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Ogden-Hill AFB, UT to Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV as the crow flies is 601 km (375 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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