Runway Collision, United Express Flight 5925 and Beechcraft King Air
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
/ PB97-910404 NTSB/AAR-97/04 DCA97MA009A/B NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT RUNWAY COLLISION UNITED EXPRESS FLIGHT 5925 AND BEECHCRAFT KING AIR A90 QUINCY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT QUINCY, ILLINOIS NOVEMBER 19,1996 The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The Safety Board makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and statistical reviews. Information about available publications may be obtained by contacting: National Transportation Safety Board Public Inquiries Section, RE-51 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20594 (202)314-6551 (800)877-6799 Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Sprin~leld, Virginia 22161 (703)487-4600 NTSB/AAR-97/04 PB97-910404 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT RUNWAY COLLISION UNITED EXPRESS FLIGHT 5925 AND BEECHCRAFT KING AIR A90 QUINCY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT QUINCY, ILLINOIS NOVEMBER 19, 1996 Adopted: July 1, 1997 Notation 6793C Abstract: This report explains the accident involving United Express flight 5925, a Beechcraft 1900C, and a Beechcraft King Air A90 that collided at the intersection of runway 13 and runway 04 at Quincy Municipal Airport, near Quincy, Illinois, on November 19, 1996. Safety issues in the report include the importance of emphasizing careful scanning techniques during flight training, Beech 1900C certification standards and compliance with requirements on door jamming, the certification of small airports used by scheduled commuter airlines, and aircraft rescue and fire fighting protection on scheduled commuter aircraft having 10 seats or more. Safety recommendations concerning these issues were made to the Federal Aviation Administration. September 5, 2000 The National Transportation Safety Board adopted revisions to the findings and probable cause for this accident, as indicated below. For more information, see Response to Petition for Reconsideration Finding 15 In the findings list and the accident report text (Section 2.5, “Survival Aspects,” on page 48, sixth paragraph), replaced “the occupants of the Beech 1900C did not escape because the air stair door could not be opened and the left overwing exit hatch was not opened” with “the occupants of the Beech 1900C did not escape because the air stair door and the left overwing exit hatch were not opened for undetermined reasons.” Finding 16 In the findings list, deleted “the most likely reason that the air stair door could not be opened is that the accident caused deformation of the door/frame system and created slack in the door control cable.” Renumbered the remaining findings accordingly. In the accident report text (Section 2.5.1, “Air Stair Door,” on page 49, fifth paragraph), deleted “the Safety Board concludes that the most likely reason that the air stair door could not be opened is that the accident caused deformation of the door/frame system and created slack in the door control cable. The Safety Board is concerned that the design and testing of the door did not account for minimal permanent deformation that could introduce slack into the door control system and ultimately disable the door.” In the accident report text (Section 2.5.1, “Air Stair Door,” on page 49, sixth paragraph), replaced “the Safety Board is further concerned that even though the impact forces from the accident were so mild that both airplanes came to rest on their landing gear and the occupants of the Beech 1900C sustained little or no injuries as a result, those same forces were apparently sufficient to cause the Beech 1900C’s air stair door to jam, preventing the occupants from using it to escape” with “the Safety Board is further concerned that, even though the impact forces from the accident were such that both airplanes came to rest on their landing gear and the occupants of the Beech 1900C did not sustain blunt force trauma injuries as a result, the door was not opened by any of the occupants for undetermined reasons.” a-1 Finding 17 In the findings list, deleted “the methods for showing compliance with the FAA’s certification requirement that external doors be reasonably free from jamming as a result of fuselage deformation are not clearly defined.” Renumbered the remaining findings accordingly. In the accident report text (Section 2.5.1, “Air Stair Door,” on page 50, second complete paragraph), deleted “the Safety Board concludes that the methods for showing compliance with the FAA’s certification requirement that external doors be reasonably free from jamming as a result of fuselage deformation are not clearly defined.” Finding 18 In the findings list, deleted “the FAA’s freedom from jamming certification standards may be inadequate.” Renumbered the remaining findings accordingly. In the accident report text (Section 2.5.1, “Air Stair Door,” on page 50, third complete paragraph), deleted “further, because the air stair door on the accident airplane jammed as a result of an impact that caused little or no injury to the occupants of the airplane, the Safety Board concludes that the FAA’s freedom from jamming certification standards may be inadequate.” Probable Cause Replaced “contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services, and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to open” with “contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to be opened.” a-2 This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................vi 1. FACTUAL INFORMATION.....................................................................................................1 1.1 History of Flight....................................................................................................................1 1.2 Injuries to Persons.................................................................................................................4 1.3 Damage to Airplane...............................................................................................................4 1.4 Other Damage........................................................................................................................4 1.5 Personnel Information...........................................................................................................4 1.5.1 Flight 5925 Flightcrew.......................................................................................................4 1.5.1.1 Captain Information........................................................................................................4 1.5.1.2 First Officer Information.................................................................................................7 1.5.2 King Air Occupants............................................................................................................7 1.5.2.1 King Air Pilot-in-Command............................................................................................7 1.5.2.2 King Air Pilot/Passenger.................................................................................................8 1.6 Airplane Information.............................................................................................................9 1.6.1 Beech 1900C......................................................................................................................9 1.6.1.1 Beech 1900C Emergency Exit Door Certification – Freedom from Jamming..............10 1.6.2 King Air A90....................................................................................................................13 1.7 Meteorological Information................................................................................................14 1.8 Aids to Navigation..............................................................................................................14 1.9 Communications.................................................................................................................14 1.10 Airport Information...........................................................................................................15 1.11 Flight Recorders................................................................................................................15 1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information....................................................................................18 1.12.1 Beech 1900C Wreckage Information.............................................................................18 1.12.2 King Air A90 Wreckage Information.............................................................................18 1.13 Medical and Pathological Information..............................................................................19