ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 322719
| Date: | Saturday 29 November 2003 |
| Time: | 08:01 |
| Type: |  Swearingen SA227-AT Merlin IVC |
| Owner/operator: | Ameriflight |
| Registration: | N439AF |
| MSN: | AT-439B |
| Year of manufacture: | 1981 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 15126 hours |
| Engine model: | Garrett TPE331-11U-611G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 5,5 km E of Spokane-Felts Field, WA (SFF) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Seattle-Boeing Field International Airport, WA (BFI/KBFI) |
| Spokane-Felts Field, WA (SFF/KSFF) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Merlin cargo plane was transporting 127 packages from Seattle to Spokane. The aircraft was dispatched with the primary (NAV 1) ILS receiver having been deferred (out of service) due to unreliable performance the evening before the accident, thus leaving the aircraft with the secondary (NAV 2) ILS receiver for ILS use. Approaching Spokane, the pilot was cleared for an ILS/DME runway 21R approach. Weather at the destination airport was poor with a 400 foot overcast. The pilot was given a low altitude alert by the tower and acknowledged, reporting that he was descending through 2,800 feet. At that point the aircraft was well below the ILS glideslope and about 13 seconds from impacting the trees. The pilot was given a low altitude alert by the tower and acknowledged, reporting that he was descending through 2,800 feet, which was confirmed on the mode C radar readout. At that point the aircraft was well below the ILS glideslope and about 13 seconds from impacting the trees.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain proper glidepath alignment during an ILS approach in poor weather resulting in collision with trees and terrain. Contributing factors were the unreliable status of the primary (NAV 1) ILS receiver (leaving the pilot with only the secondary (NAV 2) ILS receiver), the low ceilings and trees."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation