Aero Flight 311

Last updated

Aero Flight 311
OH-LCC tail Koivulahti.jpg
The tail of OH-LCC at the crash site
Accident
Date3 January 1961
Summary Pilot error aggravated by alcohol intoxication, stall
Site Kvevlax, Korsholm, Ostrobothnia, Finland
63°08′25″N21°49′58″E / 63.14028°N 21.83278°E / 63.14028; 21.83278
Aircraft
Aircraft type Douglas DC-3
Operator Aero O/Y
Registration OH-LCC
Flight origin Kronoby Airport
Destination Vaasa Airport
Occupants25
Passengers22
Crew3
Fatalities25
Survivors0

Aero Flight 311, often referred to as the Kvevlax air disaster, was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Aero O/Y (now Finnair) between Kronoby and Vaasa in Finland. The aircraft, a Douglas DC-3, crashed in the municipality Kvevlax (Finnish : Koivulahti), nowadays part of Korsholm (Finnish : Mustasaari) on 3 January 1961, killing all twenty-five people on board. The disaster remains the deadliest civilian aviation accident in Finnish history. The investigation revealed that both pilots were intoxicated and should not have been flying. [1]

Contents

Flight chronology

OH-LCC, the aircraft involved in the accident. Helsingin lentoasema, Malmin lentokentta (=Helsinki-Malmin lentoasema) - N159210 - hkm.HKMS000005-000003jv.jpg
OH-LCC, the aircraft involved in the accident.
Flight route Flugroute-AeroFlug311.png
Flight route

The Douglas DC-3, registered OH-LCC, was scheduled for take-off from Kronoby Airport at 07:00, but take-off preparations were late, and the plane departed at 07:16. The co-pilot requested free flying altitude from the air traffic control, which was permitted. This allowed Flight 311 to fly at any altitude above the minimum flight altitude for the Kronoby-Vaasa route, which was 1,500 feet (460 m). The pilots did not follow these regulations for the last 40 kilometres (25 mi), during which they flew below 100 metres (330 ft). [2] :17

Memorial (in Swedish) to the dead in Kvevlax with the names of the victims Koivulahden lento-onnettomuuden muistomerkki.JPG
Memorial (in Swedish) to the dead in Kvevlax with the names of the victims

Shortly after the flight's last radio contact with air traffic control, in which the pilots confirmed the weather report and said that they would be at the Seppä non-directional radio beacon in a few minutes, Flight 311 was starting to prepare for landing by descending below 50 metres (160 ft). Suddenly, the plane turned abruptly to the left. This slowed the plane and disrupted airflow significantly. The pilots tried to correct the situation by applying full throttle, but this did not help and the plane went into a spin. The last thing seen by eyewitnesses on the ground was that the pilots had turned the landing lights on before the plane crashed into the woods at 07:40:30 in a steep 70-degree turn. [2] :18

First responders, reaching the crash site ten minutes after the crash, were unable to rescue anyone due to intense flames which reached over 15 metres (49 ft) in height. The aircraft was extensively destroyed by impact forces and the fire. [2] :19

Investigation

Officials from Finland's Accident Investigation Board (AIB) concluded that OH-LCC had been airworthy. No evidence was found of any technical malfunction, of the plane hitting trees or of an explosion. It was possible that the plane's controls had been frozen, as it was a cold winter day. The investigation report concluded that this was unlikely in the flying conditions, and an intact wing that had separated from the main wreckage did not have any ice on it. The pilots had not reported any icing on the plane via radio either. [2] :19 The probable cause of the accident was determined to be pilot error when making a left turn. It is possible that one passenger might have been present in the cockpit based on his body location. [2] :20

According to the report by the AIB, neither the pilot, Captain Lars Hattinen, nor the co-pilot, First Officer Veikko Halme, were in a fit state to fly. They had not slept well the previous night and had been drinking heavily. Autopsies revealed that Hattinen had a blood alcohol content of 0.20 (2 ‰), while Halme had 0.156 (1.56 ‰). [2] :15 In all, Hattinen, Halme, and the possible cockpit visitor had drunk sixteen bottles of beer, seven gin grogs, and 900 grams of cognac from 21:50 to 02:00. [2] :15 Hattinen had thus neglected his responsibility for the plane's and passengers' safety, and neither he nor Halme was in any condition to pilot the plane on the day of the accident. [2] :14 [3]

Both the International Civil Aviation Organization's treaty and the pilots' personal job contracts barred intoxication while in command of a plane—provisions that Hattinen and Halme ignored. [2] :15 In the police interrogation, no one working at Kronoby Airport said they had noticed that the pilots were intoxicated. Only a construction worker, whose brother was one of the victims, said he had noted the possibility based on their behavior but could not have been certain. [2] :15 In addition, as captain Hattinen was a World War II veteran pilot and a former fighter ace having six aerial victories, he was used to taking large risks before and during flights.

Flight number

Although airlines often retire the flight numbers of flights involved in fatal accidents, the successor to Aero O/Y, Finnair, continued to use flight number AY311 on its Helsinki–Vaasa route for some time. The flight number was eventually changed to AY313. The flights are operated mainly with Embraer 190 or ATR 72, but some busy Monday and Friday flights are operated by Airbus A320 family aircraft. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

Finnair is the flag carrier and largest full-service legacy airline of Finland, with headquarters in Vantaa on the grounds of Helsinki Airport, its hub. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both domestic and international air travel in Finland. Its major shareholder is the government of Finland, which owns 55.9% of its shares. Finnair is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation safety</span> State in which risks associated with aviation are at an acceptable level

Aviation safety is the study and practice of managing risks in aviation. This includes preventing aviation accidents and incidents through research, educating air travel personnel, passengers and the general public, as well as the design of aircraft and aviation infrastructure. The aviation industry is subject to significant regulation and oversight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot error</span> Decision, action or inaction by a pilot of an aircraft

Pilot error generally refers to an accident in which an action or decision made by the pilot was the cause or a contributing factor that led to the accident, but also includes the pilot's failure to make a correct decision or take proper action. Errors are intentional actions that fail to achieve their intended outcomes. The Chicago Convention defines the term "accident" as "an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft [...] in which [...] a person is fatally or seriously injured [...] except when the injuries are [...] inflicted by other persons." Hence the definition of "pilot error" does not include deliberate crashing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAROM Flight 371</span> 1995 passenger plane crash in Balotești, România

TAROM Flight 371 was a scheduled international passenger flight, with an Airbus A310 from Otopeni International Airport in Romania's capital Bucharest to Brussels Airport in Brussels, Belgium. The flight was operated by TAROM, the flag carrier of Romania. On 31 March 1995, the Airbus A310-324, registered as YR-LCC, entered a nose-down dive after takeoff and crashed near Balotești in Romania. All 60 people aboard were killed in the crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America West Airlines Flight 556</span> 2002 aviation incident

America West Airlines Flight 556 was a regularly scheduled flight from Miami, Florida, to Phoenix, Arizona, operated by an America West Airlines Airbus A319. On July 1, 2002, the plane was ordered back to the terminal after the pilots were suspected of being drunk beyond the legal limit. The pilots were ultimately convicted of operating an aircraft while intoxicated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ADC Airlines Flight 053</span> 2006 aviation accident

ADC Airlines Flight 053 (ADK053) was a scheduled passenger flight operated by ADC Airlines from Nigeria's capital of Abuja to Sokoto. On 29 October 2006, the Boeing 737-2B7 crashed onto a corn field shortly after take-off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, killing 96 out of 105 people on board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kvevlax</span> Former municipality of Finland, now part of Korsholm

Kvevlax is a church village in the municipality of Korsholm, Finland. It is located approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi) north of the city of Vaasa. Kvevlax became an independent parish in 1857. Until 1 January 1973 it was an independent municipality. Kvevlax has a lower grade primary education school, a kindergarten, a running track, a football pitch and an ice rink. There are two local grocery shops, a library and a bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karair</span>

Karair was an airline from Finland. Initially having offered scheduled passenger flights, the company became a subsidiary of Finnair, mainly operating on holiday charter routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeroflot Flight 821</span> 2008 Boeing 737-500 crash in Russia

Aeroflot Flight 821 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Aeroflot-Nord in a service agreement with Aeroflot and as its subsidiary. On 14 September 2008, the aircraft operating the flight crashed on approach to Perm International Airport at 5:10 local time (UTC+06). All 82 passengers and six crew members were killed. Among the passengers who were killed was Russian Colonel General Gennady Troshev, an adviser to the President of Russia who had been the commander of the North Caucasus Military District during the Second Chechen War. A section of the Trans-Siberian Railway was damaged by the crash. Flight 821 is the deadliest accident involving a Boeing 737-500, surpassing the 1993 crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 733, and was the second-deadliest aviation incident in 2008, behind Spanair Flight 5022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alitalia Flight 404</span> 1990 aviation accident

Alitalia Flight 404 (AZ404/AZA404) was an international passenger flight scheduled to fly from Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, to Zürich Airport in Zürich, Switzerland, which crashed on 14 November 1990. The Douglas DC-9-32, operated by Alitalia, crashed into the woodlands of Weiach as it approached Zurich Airport, killing all 46 people on board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216</span> 1999 aviation accident

Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 was a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that overran the runway at La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City, on 21 December 1999. 36 passengers and five crew members on board were killed as well as seven people on the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Air Flight 0992</span> 2012 passenger plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Dana Air Flight 0992 was a scheduled Nigerian domestic passenger flight from Abuja to Lagos, Nigeria. On 3 June 2012, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft serving the route suffered a dual-engine failure during its approach to Lagos. It failed to reach its intended destination and crashed onto buildings, killing all 153 people on board and six on the ground. With 159 deaths, it remains as the deadliest commercial airliner crash in Nigerian history since the Kano air disaster in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UPS Airlines Flight 1354</span> 2013 aviation accident

UPS Airlines Flight 1354 (5X1354/UPS1354) was a scheduled cargo flight from Louisville, Kentucky, to Birmingham, Alabama. On August 14, 2013, the Airbus A300 flying the route crashed and burst into flames short of the runway on approach to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport. Both pilots were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. They were the only people aboard the aircraft. It was the second fatal air crash for UPS Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aero Flight 217</span> 1963 aviation accident

Aero Flight 217 was a domestic passenger flight from Helsinki, Finland, to Mariehamn in the autonomous territory of Åland, operated by the Finnish flag carrier Aero O/Y. On 8 November 1963, the aircraft serving the flight crashed in poor visibility while attempting to land on a non-precision approach at Mariehamn Airport in the municipality of Jomala, resulting in the deaths of 22 people out of 25 on board. The crash remains the second most deadly aviation accident in Finland, the first being Aero Flight 311 almost two years earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Finnish Air Force DC-3 crash</span> 1978 military aviation disaster in Rissala, Finland

The Finnish Air Force DC-3 disaster occurred when a plane of this class crashed into Lake Juurusvesi in Rissala on 3 October 1978, killing all fifteen people on board. It was caused by a cracked exhaust valve, resulting from metal fatigue in an engine cylinder. Most of the victims were politicians and prominent businessmen attending a National Defence Course meeting organized by the Finnish Defence Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling Airways Flight 901</span> 1974 plane crash and fire in Tehran, Iran

On 15 March 1974, Sterling Airways Flight 901, a Sud Aviation Caravelle operated by Sterling Airways, experienced a landing gear failure as it was taxiing for take-off. The right main landing gear collapsed, which caused the right wing to contact the runway, rupturing a fuel tank and igniting the spilt fuel. The fire killed 15 passengers and injured 37 passengers and crew. The aircraft had been chartered by tour company Tjæreborg to take tourists around Asia, and was on the way back to Copenhagen when the accident happened. The accident came only two years after the crash of Sterling Airways Flight 296.

<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">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.

References

  1. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47A-30-DK (DC-3C) OH-LCC Koivulahti". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Official report by the Accident Investigation Board Finland" (PDF) (in Finnish). Accident Investigation Board of Finland.
  3. "Koivulahden lento-onnettomuus" [Koivulahti plane crash]. Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). 3 January 2011.
  4. "Timetables for domestic flights" (PDF). Finnair. Retrieved 6 July 2007.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Aero Flight 311 at Wikimedia Commons