Narrative:
After departing Gadsden, the Embraer collided head-on with Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 N99501 at an altitude of 5000 feet, causing the right stabilizer to separate. The Cessna crashed, but the Brasilia made a safe emergency landing.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both aircraft, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid oncoming traffic. A factor related to the accident was: the sun's glare, which restricted the vision of the Cessna 172 pilot."
Forced landing on runway
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 9 April 1990 |
| Time: | 18:05 |
| Type: |  Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia |
| Operated by: | Atlantic Southeast Airlines - ASA |
| On behalf of: | Delta Connection |
| Registration: | N217AS |
| MSN: | 120011 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW118 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | 4 km (2.5 mls) from Gadsden Municipal Airport, AL (GAD) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Gadsden Municipal Airport, AL (GAD/KGAD), United States of America |
| Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL), United States of America |
After departing Gadsden, the Embraer collided head-on with Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 N99501 at an altitude of 5000 feet, causing the right stabilizer to separate. The Cessna crashed, but the Brasilia made a safe emergency landing.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both aircraft, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid oncoming traffic. A factor related to the accident was: the sun's glare, which restricted the vision of the Cessna 172 pilot."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Mid air collisionForced landing on runway
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
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 Gadsden Municipal Airport, AL to Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA as the crow flies is 157 km (98 miles).
Distance from Gadsden Municipal Airport, AL to Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA as the crow flies is 157 km (98 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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