Runway Underrun, Flying Tiger Line, Inc., Douglas DC-8-63F, N785FT, Naha Air Base, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, July 27, 1970
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Runway underrun, Flying Tiger Line, Inc., Douglas DC-8-63F, N785FT, Naha Air Base, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, July 27, 1970 Micro-summary: This Douglas DC-8-63F crashed into the water short of the runway. Event Date: 1970-07-27 at 1136 local Investigative Body: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), USA Investigative Body's Web Site: http://www.ntsb.gov/ Cautions: 1. Accident reports can be and sometimes are revised. Be sure to consult the investigative agency for the latest version before basing anything significant on content (e.g., thesis, research, etc). 2. Readers are advised that each report is a glimpse of events at specific points in time. While broad themes permeate the causal events leading up to crashes, and we can learn from those, the specific regulatory and technological environments can and do change. Your company's flight operations manual is the final authority as to the safe operation of your aircraft! 3. Reports may or may not represent reality. Many many non-scientific factors go into an investigation, including the magnitude of the event, the experience of the investigator, the political climate, relationship with the regulatory authority, technological and recovery capabilities, etc. It is recommended that the reader review all reports analytically. Even a "bad" report can be a very useful launching point for learning. 4. Contact us before reproducing or redistributing a report from this anthology. Individual countries have very differing views on copyright! We can advise you on the steps to follow. Aircraft Accident Reports on DVD, Copyright © 2006 by Flight Simulation Systems, LLC All rights reserved. www.fss.aero SA-None File No. 1-0010 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT FLYING TIGER LINE, INC. Douglas DC-8-63F N785FT NAHA AIR BASE Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands July 27, 1970 Adopted: DECEMBER 29, 1971 Ill NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Washington, 0. C. 20591 Ill REPORT NUMBER: NTSB-AAR-72- 10 FLYING TIGER LINE. INC . DOUGLAS DC.8.63F. N785FT NAHA AIR BASE OKINAWA. RYUKYU ISLANDS JULY 27. 1970 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Synopsis .....................................1 Probable Cause .................................1 Investigation .................................. ~ 2 History of the Flight ............................. 2 Injuries to Persons .............................. 3 Damage to Aircraft ............................. 3 Other Damage ................................. 3 Crew Information ................................ 3 Aircraft Information ............................. 3 Meteorological ~nformation ........................ 3 Aids to Navigation .............: ................ 4 Communications ............................... 5 Aerodrome and Ground Facilities .................... 5 Flight Recorders ............................... 5 Wreckage ...................................... 7 Fire ....................................... 8 Survival Aspects ............................... 8 Tests and Research ............................. 8 Pertinent Information ...........................10 Analysis and Conclusions ......................... 11 Analysis .................................... 11 Conclusions .................................. 15 (a) Findings .........................; .. 15 (b) Probable Cause ........................ 17 Recommendations .............................. 17 Appendices .................................. 19 A . Investigation and Hearing ........................ 21 B . Crew Information ............................23 C . Aircraft Information ..........................25 D. Cockpit Voice Recorder ........................ 27 E . Wreckage Distribution Chart ..................... 35 F . Veiling Glare Hypothesis - Dr . Conrad L . Kraft ......... 37 G . Flight Profile ...............................41 H . Letter of Recommendation to FAA and Response ...... 43 iii File No. 1-0010 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Washington, D.C. 20591 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT Adopted: December 29,1971 FLYING TIGER LINE, INC. DOUGLAS DC-8-63F, N785FT NAHA AIR BASE OKINAWA, RYUKYU ISLANDS JULY 27,1970 SYNOPSIS and broken cumulus clouds were reported at 1,500 feet. Cumulonimbus were reported Flying Tiger Line, Inc., Flight 45, a Douglas northwest-northeast of the station and sta- DC-8-63F, N785FT, on a cargo operation, tionary towering cumulus were existent in all crashed into the water off the approach end of quadrants. Runway 18 at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, Ryukyu Ground witnesses reported that just north of Islands, at approximately 1136 local time, July the approach end of Runway 18, there was a 27, 1970. The four- crewmembers, the only heavy rain shower from which the aircraft occupants of the aircraft, died as a result of the emerged at very low altitude just before it struck accident. The aircraft was destroyed. the water. The flight was making a precision radar The National Transportation Safety Board approach to Runway 18 at Naha when, at a determines that the probable cause of this point approximately 1 mile short of the touch- accident was an unarrested rate of descent due down point, the aircraft's rate of descent in- to inattention of the crew to instrument altitude creased and the flight descended below the glide- references while the pilot was attempting to path. While the radar controller was warning the , establish outside visual contact in meteorological crew that they were too low, the aircraft struck conditions which precluded such contact during the water approximately 2,200 feet short of the that segment of a precision radar approach threshold lights for Runway 18. inbound from the Decision Height. The weather at the Naha Air Base, 8 minutes As a result of a number of instrument ap- prior to the accident, was reported to be: ceiling proach accidents that occurred in 1968 and 1,500 feet, visibility 7 miles in light rain show- early 1969, the National Transportation Safety ers, winds variable at 5 knots, towering cumulus Board made a number of recommendations overhead and in all quadrants, altimeter setting regarding altitude awareness to the Admin- 29.84 inches, visibility to the north 1 mile. istrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Scattered stratus clouds were reported at 1,000 (FAA). The Safety Board believes that the feet and broken cumulus clouds at 1,500 feet. Administrator should again reemphasize those A weather observation taken about 4 minutes altitude awareness recommendations to air after the accident was: ceiling 1,500 feet, visi- carrier flight-supervisory and pilot personnel. bility 10 miles in light rain showers, wind 360' Additionally, the Safety Board recommends at 8 knots, altimeter 29.83 inches, visibility to that: (1) company flight operating procedures the north 1.5 miles. Scattered cumulonimbus be amended to eliminate any uncertainties in crew coordination and altitude callout proce- minutes. Fuel aboard was computed at 3 hours dures during instrument approaches, and (2) the 47 minutes. FAA issue excerpts of information contained in Flight 45 proceeded without reported dif- this report to stress to flightcrews the need for ficulty to Okinawa, and was cleared for an en continuous surveillance of flight instruments route descent to an altitude of 1,000 feet mean when they are operating in meteorological con- sea level (m.s.1.) to make a precision radar ap- ditions similar to those discussed in this report. proach to Runway 18 at Naha. The final ap- proach controller established radar contact with 1. INVESTIGATION the aircraft 18 miles northwest of the airport at. 1129. Flight 45 was then advised that there was 1.1 History of the-Flight c.onstruction equipment on the left side of the runway at the approach end and on the right Flying Tiger Line, Inc., Flight 4 5, a Douglas side. of the runway at the 3,000 feet remaining DC-8-63, N785FT, was. a regularly scheduled marker. international cargo flight. from Los Angeles, The approach was continued and, at 1131, California, to Da Nang Air Base, Republic of the. flight was advised ". have reduced visi- ~ietNam, with scheduled intermediate stops at bility on final. tower just advised approach San Francisco, California.; Seattle, Washington; lights and strobe lights are on . .'' About 1132, Cold Bay, Alaska; Tokyo, Japan; Naha Air Base, the captain mentioned a rain shower which was. Okinawa; Hong Kong; and Cam-Ranh Bay, regarded by someone in the cockpit to have ~e~ublicof Viet Nam. been over the field..At 1132:46, a new altimeter Flight 45 departed Lqs Angeles at 20'531 on setting of 29.84 inches was given to the crew July 25, 1970, and, after en route stops. at San and acknowledged. The Cockpit Voice Recorder Francisco, Seattle, and Cold Bay, arrived at (CVR) transcription indicates that the landing Tokyo at 2244, July 26, 1970.. No significant checklist, including full flaps, setting of radio aircraft discrepancieswere reported. altimeters, gear down and locked, and spoilers The flightcrew involved in the accident ar-. armed, wascompleted at 1133:49. rived in Tokyo on. Flight 43 at 2032, July 26, At slightly less than 5 miles from touchdown, 1970, after a flight of 6.2 hours from Cold Bay,. the crew was instructed to begin the descent Alaska. They checked into their hotel in Tokyo onto glidepath and was cleared to land. The at 2124 on July 26 and were called at 0630 the approach continued, with various heading next morning to prepare for departure on Flight changes and, at 1134.:53, the crew was advised 45.. The crew was picked up at the hotel at that they were slightly below the glidepath, 3 0730 and transported to Tokyo miles from