Empire Airlines Flight 8284

Last updated

Empire Airlines Flight 8284
FedEx Feeder N902FX, 2007.jpg
N902FX, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 2007
Accident
DateJanuary 27, 2009
SummaryUnstabilized approach, pilot error
SiteNear Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport
Aircraft
Aircraft type ATR 42–320
Operator Empire Airlines for FedEx Feeder
IATA flight No.EM8284
ICAO flight No.CFS8284
Call signEMPIRE 8284
Registration N902FX
Flight origin Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Tarrant County, Texas
DestinationLubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Lubbock County, Texas
Occupants2
Passengers0
Crew2
Fatalities0
Injuries2
Survivors2

Empire Airlines Flight 8284 was a cargo flight operated by Empire Airlines for FedEx Feeder from Fort Worth Alliance Airport to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Texas. On January 27, 2009, it crashed on final approach to its destination. Both crew members survived with minor injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Contents

Aircraft history

Flight 8284 was operated using an ATR-42-320 (registration number: N902FX), manufactured in 1990 by ATR. [1] :8 [2] Before being delivered to Empire Airlines in 2003, and later leased to FedEx in the same year, the aircraft served for three previous airlines: Bar Harbor Airlines, Continental Express and ExpressJet Airlines. [3]

Flight details

The captain was 52-year-old Rodney Holberton [4] with a total of 13,935 flight hours, with 12,742 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC). He had 2,052 hours on the ATR 42, 1,896 as PIC. [1] :6 The first officer was 26-year-old Heather Cornell [4] with 2,109 hours, according to the records of Empire Airlines. She had 130 hours operating the ATR 42 as second-in-command. [1] :6

Accident

Flight reconstruction simulated by NTSB

The aircraft approached Lubbock International Airport at around 4:30 am Central Standard Time in freezing mist. [5]

During the approach, a flight control problem prevented deployment of the flaps. The first officer continued the approach while the captain attempted to fix the flaps issue. [6] Neither crew member monitored the airspeed, and the aircraft began descending at over 2,000 feet (610 m) per minute, leading to a "Pull Up" warning. The crew pulled up 17 seconds after the initial alarm. The aircraft then entered an aerodynamic stall and crashed. [6] [7] The aircraft landed short of the runway threshold, and skidded 3,300 feet (1,000 m) down and off runway 17R. A small fire began shortly after. [8]

Airport officials said that weather conditions did not contribute to the crash. [5]

Investigation

Overview of the accident site. Empire Airlines Flight 8284(N902FX) wreckage3.jpg
Overview of the accident site.
Wreckage of N902FX. Empire Airlines Flight 8284(N902FX) wreckage2.jpg
Wreckage of N902FX.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the cause of the accident. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder showed that the crew continued the landing after the flaps failed to deploy rather than conducting a go-around. The crew also failed to apply maximum engine thrust immediately after the stall, waiting 17 seconds after an TAWS warning had sounded before applying thrust. In postaccident interviews, the captain said that he had sleep fatigue before the flight due to "high-workload situations" which affected his performance. After the investigation was completed the NTSB released their final report in 2011.

The other side of the wreckage Empire Airlines Flight 8284(N902FX) wreckage.jpg
The other side of the wreckage

It concluded with investigators stating that "The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain a minimum safe airspeed while executing an instrument approach in icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude. Contributing to the accident were 1) the flight crew's failure to follow published standard operating procedures in response to a flap anomaly, 2) the captain's decision to continue with the unstabilized approach, 3) the flight crew's poor crew resource management, and 4) fatigue due to the time of day in which the accident occurred and a cumulative sleep debt, which likely impaired the captain's performance."

Aftermath

N902FX was badly damaged in the accident and was written off. The crew members were sent to hospital for minor injuries, and were later released. Both returned to flying with FedEx Express a month later.

The NTSB issued nine safety recommendations as a result of the crash, including recommendations to prevent in-flight icing. [6] The crash led to the EASA reviewing airplane stick shakers to protect from stalls [9] and adopting a rule regarding the simulation of icing conditions in flight simulators. [10]

Related Research Articles

Empire Airlines is a passenger and cargo airline based in Hayden, Idaho, near Coeur d'Alene. It operates over 120 scheduled cargo flights a day in 18 US states and Canada. Empire also started passenger service within Hawaii, under the name "Ohana by Hawaiian", which was run from 2014-2021. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport with a hub at Spokane International Airport. The company slogan is We Can Do That.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Airlines Flight 585</span> 1991 aviation accident in Colorado

United Airlines Flight 585 was a scheduled passenger flight on March 3, 1991, from Denver to Colorado Springs, Colorado, carrying 20 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The plane experienced a rudder hardover while on final approach to runway 35 at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, causing the plane to roll over and enter an uncontrolled dive. All 25 people on board were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Eagle Flight 4184</span> 1994 plane crash in Indiana, US

American Eagle Flight 4184, officially operating as Simmons Airlines Flight 4184, was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Indianapolis, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois, United States. On October 31, 1994, the ATR 72 performing this route flew into severe icing conditions, lost control and crashed into a field. All 68 people aboard were killed in the high-speed impact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comair Flight 3272</span> January 1997 plane crash in Michigan, US

Comair Flight 3272 was a Comair flight from Cincinnati to Detroit on Thursday, January 9, 1997. While on approach for landing, the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft crashed nose-down 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport at 15:54 EST. All 29 aboard, 26 passengers and three crew members, were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comair Flight 5191</span> 2006 passenger plane crash in Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Comair Flight 5191 was a scheduled United States domestic passenger flight from Lexington, Kentucky, to Atlanta, Georgia. On the morning of August 27, 2006, at around 06:07 EDT, the Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 100ER crashed while attempting to take off from Blue Grass Airport in Fayette County, Kentucky, 4 miles west of the central business district of the city of Lexington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 647</span> 2003 aviation accident

FedEx Express Flight 647 was a flight between Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oakland, California and Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee that crashed during landing on December 18, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohawk Airlines Flight 405</span> 1972 aviation accident in Albany, New York

Mohawk Airlines Flight 405, a Fairchild Hiller FH-227 twin-engine turboprop airliner registered N7818M, was a domestic scheduled passenger flight operated by Mohawk Airlines that crashed into a house within the city limits of Albany, New York, on March 3, 1972, on final approach to Albany County Airport, New York, killing 17 people. The intended destination airport lies in the suburban Town of Colonie, about 4 miles north of the crash site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colgan Air Flight 3407</span> 2009 aviation accident in the U.S.

Colgan Air Flight 3407 was a scheduled passenger flight from Newark, New Jersey, US to Buffalo, New York, US on February 12, 2009. Colgan Air staffed and maintained the aircraft used on the flight that was scheduled, marketed and sold by Continental Airlines under its Continental Connection brand. The aircraft, a Bombardier Q400, entered an aerodynamic stall from which it did not recover and crashed into a house at 6038 Long Street in Clarence Center, New York at 10:17 pm EST, killing all 49 passengers and crew on board, as well as one person inside the house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwest Airlink Flight 5719</span> 1993 aviation accident

Northwest Airlink Flight 5719 was a flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to International Falls Airport in International Falls, Minnesota with a scheduled intermediate stop at Chisholm-Hibbing Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota. On December 1, 1993, the Jetstream 31, operated by Express Airlines I as Northwest Airlink, collided with a group of trees in a forest during final approach to Hibbing, and crashed into two ridges northwest of the airport, killing all sixteen passengers and the two pilots on board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 345</span> 2013 aviation incident in New York City, US

Southwest Airlines Flight 345 was a scheduled flight from Nashville International Airport, Tennessee, to New York City's LaGuardia Airport. On July 22, 2013, the Boeing 737 operating the route suffered a front landing gear collapse while landing at LaGuardia Airport, injuring 9 people on board. The aircraft, which was worth an estimated $15.5 million at the time, was written off and scrapped as a result of the accident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286</span> 1988 aviation accident

Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Denver, Colorado, to Durango, Colorado, operated for Continental Express by Trans-Colorado Airlines. On January 19, 1988, Flight 2286 crashed onto terrain near Bayfield, Colorado, while on approach to Durango-La Plata County Airport. Out of the seventeen people on board, nine were killed, including both crew members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 910</span> 2016 aviation incident

On October 28, 2016, FedEx Express Flight 910, a McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F flying from Memphis International Airport to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport was involved in a runway skid after a landing gear collapse, which resulted in a fire completely destroying the left engine and wing. Two crew members, the only people on board, were unharmed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1045</span> 1977 plane flight which crashed in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.

Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1045 was a charter flight on January 13, 1977, from Grant County, Washington, United States, to Tokyo, Japan, with a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. The flight crashed during the initial climb phase, shortly after takeoff from Anchorage, in part because the flight captain, Hugh L. Marsh, was intoxicated as shown by a blood alcohol level of 0.29; the co-pilot and the other crew were not impaired. All of those on board, including three flight crew members and two cattle handlers, were killed in the crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast Jets Flight 81</span> 2008 aviation accident

East Coast Jets Flight 81 was a business jet flight operated by East Coast Jets that crashed on July 31, 2008 while attempting a go-around at Owatonna Degner Regional Airport near Owatonna, Minnesota, killing all eight passengers and crew on board. The flight originated in Atlantic City International Airport, and was scheduled to land in Owatonna. The crew made a go-around attempt after the aircraft touched down, but it overran the runway, hit the Instrument Landing System localizer antenna at an altitude of approximately 5 ft (1.5 m), stalled and crashed, with the main wreckage coming to rest 2,400 ft (730 m) from the runway end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Wind Aviation Flight 282</span> 2017 plane crash in Saskatchewan, Canada

West Wind Aviation Flight 282 was a domestic passenger flight from Fond-du-Lac Airport to Stony Rapids Airport, Canada. The aircraft was an ATR 42-320 registered C-GWEA. On 13 December 2017, shortly after taking off from Fond-du-Lac, the ATR-42 lost altitude and hit the ground. All 25 passengers and crew initially survived the crash, but one passenger later died of his injuries in hospital. Investigation on the cause of the crash determined that it was caused by ice contamination on the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 901</span> 1984 aviation accident

Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 901, was a scheduled international flight operated by the Scandinavian Airlines System, that overran the runway at its destination at John F. Kennedy International Airport on February 28, 1984. The flight, using a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, originated at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden, before a stopover at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, Norway. All 177 passengers and crew members on board survived, although 12 were injured. The runway overshoot was due to the crew's failure to monitor their airspeed and overreliance on the aircraft's autothrottle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan Am Flight 799</span> 1968 airplane crash

Pan Am Flight 799 was an international cargo flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Cam Ranh Airport in South Vietnam that crashed on December 26, 1968, near Anchorage, Alaska. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 707-321C aircraft operated by Pan American World Airways. All three crew members died in the crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TransAsia Airways Flight 791</span> 2002 aviation accident

TransAsia Airways Flight 791 was a regular cargo flight between Chiang Kai Shek International Airport and Macau International Airport. At 01:52 am local time on 21 December 2002, the ATR 72 operating the flight crashed into the sea 17 kilometres southwest of Magong, Penghu, Taiwan. The two crew members on board were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 1478</span> Boeing 727 hull loss accident

FedEx Express Flight 1478 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight from Memphis International Airport to Tallahassee International Airport. On July 26, 2002, the Boeing 727-232F aircraft flying this route crashed during landing at Tallahassee. All three flight crew members survived the accident with serious injuries, but the aircraft was destroyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan International Airlines Flight 590</span> 1991 aviation accident

Ryan International Airlines Flight 590 was a cargo flight carrying mail for the United States Postal Service from Greater Buffalo International Airport (BUF) in Buffalo, New York, to Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in Indiana, with a stopover at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in Cleveland, Ohio. On February 17, 1991, the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15RC operating the flight crashed on takeoff from Cleveland during icing conditions. Both pilots, the aircraft's only occupants, were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the causes of the crash were the flight crew failing to deice their aircraft, and the inexperience of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), McDonnell Douglas, and Ryan International Airlines with icing condition on DC-9-10 aircraft.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Transportation Safety Board .

  1. 1 2 3 "Crash During Approach to Landing, Empire Airlines Flight 8284, Avions de Transport Régional Aerospatiale Alenia ATR 42‐320, N902FX, Lubbock, Texas, January 27, 2009" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. April 26, 2011. NTSB/AAR-11/02. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  2. "Federal Express N902FX (ATR 42/72 - MSN 175) (Ex N15827)". www.airfleets.net. Airfleets aviation. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  3. "N902FX Federal Express (FedEx) ATR 42". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Clark, James (September 28, 2009). "Captain tells his story after fiery plane crash in Lubbock". KCBD-TV . Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Plane Crash at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport". KCBD-TV . Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Croft, John (April 27, 2011). "NTSB: Pilot error in FedEx ATR 42 crash in Lubbock". flightglobal.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  7. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident ATR 42-320 N902FX Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, TX (LBB)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  8. "FedEx plane crashes in Texas". CNN . January 27, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  9. "Safety Recommendation A-12-027". www.ntsb.gov. National Transportation Safety Board.
  10. "Safety Recommendation A-11-046". www.ntsb.gov. National Transportation Safety Board.
National Transportation Safety Board