Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314

Last updated

Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314
Boeing 737-275-Adv, Pacific Western Airlines AN2027647.jpg
A Pacific Western Boeing 737-200 similar to the one involved in the accident
Accident
Date11 February 1978 (1978-02-11)
SummaryRunway incursion caused by pilot error and ATC error, thrust reverser deployment during go-around
Site Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport, Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
49°36′41″N115°46′56″W / 49.6114°N 115.78225°W / 49.6114; -115.78225
Aircraft
Aircraft type Boeing 737-275
Operator Pacific Western Airlines
IATA flight No.PW314
ICAO flight No.PWA314
Call signPACIFIC WESTERN 314
Registration C-FPWC
Flight origin Fort McMurray International Airport
1st stopover Edmonton International Airport
2nd stopover Calgary International Airport
Last stopover Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport
Destination Castlegar Airport
Occupants49
Passengers44
Crew5
Fatalities43 (42 initially)
InjuriesAt least 5
Survivors6 (7 initially)

On 11 February 1978, Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314, a Boeing 737-200, crashed at Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport, near Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, killing 43 of the 49 people on board. [1]

Contents

The scheduled flight from Fort McMurray International Airport to Castlegar Airport via Edmonton, Alberta, Calgary, Alberta and Cranbrook, British Columbia crashed after its thrust reversers did not fully stow following an aborted landing to avoid a snowplow on the runway. Calgary air traffic control was in major error in its calculation of the flight's arrival time at Cranbrook, and the flight crew did not report while passing a beacon on final approach. [2] [3]

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-275 that was nearly eight years old at the time of the accident. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A turbofan engines. [4] [5]

The captain was 30-year-old Chris Miles, who had been with Pacific Western Airlines since 1967 and became a Boeing 737 captain 10 years later in 1977. He had 5,173 flight hours, including 2,780 hours on the Boeing 737. The first officer was 25-year-old Peter Van Oort, who had been with the airline since 1971 and became a 737 first officer in 1977. He too was an experienced pilot, having logged 4,316 flight hours, 2,735 of them on the Boeing 737. [6]

Accident

Flight 314 departed Calgary at 12:32 on an estimated 23-minute flight to Cranbrook. This estimate was passed to Cranbrook by Calgary Air Traffic Control. [6] Cranbrook was not a controlled airport, and while it had an "aero-radio" station to provide weather and advisory information to aircraft, it had no control tower or air traffic controllers. As it was snowing, equipment operator Terry George was sent out to clear the runway with a snowplow, to be called off the runway shortly before Flight 314's arrival. [6]

As Flight 314 neared Cranbrook airport, it was snowing with a visibility of 3/4 mile (about 1.2 km). The Cranbrook aero-radio operator advised George of the estimated arrival of Flight 314 at 13:05. Flight 314 was expected to report on the approach when passing the "Skookum Beacon", which would give about seven minutes notice of arrival at Cranbrook. [6] At 12:46, Flight 314 contacted Cranbrook aero-radio and was passed the latest weather and runway information. [6] One minute later, Cranbrook aero-radio advised Flight 314 that there was a snowplow out on the runway removing snow. First Officer Van Oort acknowledged this with "Three Fourteen checks". [6]

Upon passing the Skookum beacon, Captain Miles elected not to do a customary circle and proceeded for a straight-in approach into Runway 16 at Cranbrook. For reasons unknown, the pilots did not report passing the beacon, nor did they report that they were on final approach, which meant that the aero-radio operator believed the flight would arrive at 13:05 and did not call George off the runway. At 12:55, 10 minutes before their estimated time of arrival at Cranbrook, flight 314 touched down about 800 feet (240 m) from the runway threshold. [6] The pilots did not see the snowplow due to the poor visibility and because the snowplow produced a plume of snow that obscured it. Captain Miles brought the throttles to idle and engaged reverse thrust, deploying the two thrust reversers, but two seconds later saw the snowplow about 1,000 feet (300 m) ahead of him. George saw in his rearview mirror the 737 coming straight at him and swerved to get out of its way, but did not have enough time. To avoid a fatal collision, Miles immediately disengaged reverse thrust and both pilots slammed the throttle levers all the way forward and pulled back on their control columns to abort the 737's landing and initiate a go-around. They pushed so hard on the throttles that Miles fractured his thumb. [6] George radioed, "Where the hell did he come from?". The aero-radio operator responded, "I don't know Terry, but he sure didn't call after his first call." The aircraft passed a few meters above the snowplow and flew down the runway at a height of 50 to 70 feet (15 to 21 m). [6]

When reverse thrust was cancelled, the plane lifted off so rapidly that the hydraulic isolation valve in the left thrust reverser closed, cutting off power to the actuator, with the reverser doors 2 inches (5 cm) open and the isolation valve in the partially open position. About six seconds after going around and 4,000 feet (1,200 m) from the runway threshold, as the aircraft climbed through 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) and the airspeed increased, aerodynamic forces caused the left thrust reverser to deploy, causing the plane to yaw hard to the left, making the plane very difficult to fly and the airspeed greatly decayed. Flight 314 was now in a high drag configuration close to the ground, at a low speed, and with a deployed thrust reverser. Evidence indicates that First Officer Van Oort took off his seatbelt and stood up to flick the reverser override switch, which would restore hydraulic pressure to the reverser to close it. He raised the flaps from 40° to 15°, but the landing gear remained locked in the down position. [6] Van Oort managed to open the safety cap to the switch, but Captain Miles (possibly because of the intense pain of his fractured thumb) let off the right rudder, throwing the co-pilot off balance and he never flipped the switch. By this point the airspeed had decayed so much that no amount of aileron or rudder would be enough to save the plane. Flight 314 banked steeply to the left from a height of 400 feet (120 m). Captain Miles shouted over the radio "We're gonna crash!". Ten seconds after going around, the 737 crashed to the left of the runway banked 90° to the left and 30° nose down. [6] The aircraft was destroyed in the impact and subsequent fire with only the cockpit and the tail section remaining recognizable. [6] George left the snowplow and with two firefighters rushed towards the crash site. They found six survivors including one flight attendant. One additional survivor was found in the forward section of the aircraft with a severe head injury, but died 11 days later. 43 people, including Miles and Van Oort, were killed in the crash. [6] :2

Investigation

The crash investigation was conducted by the Aviation Safety Investigation Division of Transport Canada and audited by the Aircraft Accident Review Board. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was destroyed by the fire but the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was useable although some parameters were unreadable. [6] Boeing simulations showed that the aircraft was controllable with one engine at idle reverse and the other at full forward thrust in a gear up, flaps 15° configuration. With flaps 25 and gear down, it was not possible to maintain level flight. The go-around would have been successful if the left engine thrust reverser doors had not been deployed. [6] :36

The events of the crash featured in an episode of the History channel documentary Disasters of the Century , entitled "Collision Course". [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash Airlines Flight 604</span> 2004 Egyptian plane crash in the Red Sea

Flash Airlines Flight 604 was a charter flight from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport in Egypt to Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris, France, with a stop-over at Cairo International Airport, provided by Egyptian private charter company Flash Airlines. On 3 January 2004, the Boeing 737-300 that was operating the route crashed into the Red Sea shortly after takeoff from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, killing all 135 passengers, most of whom were French tourists, and all thirteen crew members. The findings of the crash investigation were controversial, with accident investigators from the different countries involved unable to agree on the cause of the accident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrust reversal</span> Temporary diversion of an aircraft engines thrust

Thrust reversal, also called reverse thrust, is the temporary diversion of an aircraft engine's thrust for it to act against the forward travel of the aircraft, providing deceleration. Thrust reverser systems are featured on many jet aircraft to help slow down just after touch-down, reducing wear on the brakes and enabling shorter landing distances. Such devices affect the aircraft significantly and are considered important for safe operations by airlines. There have been accidents involving thrust reversal systems, including fatal ones.

<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 the 737 were killed on impact.

PT Lion Mentari Airlines, operating as Lion Air, is an Indonesian low-cost airline based in Jakarta. Lion Air is the country's largest privately run airline, the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia and the largest airline in Indonesia. With Wings Air, Super Air Jet and Batik Air, Lion Group is the country's largest airline's group. The airline operates domestic as well as international routes, which connects different destinations of Indonesia to Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, India, Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as charter routes to Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Macau, with more than 630 flights per day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport</span> International airport in southeastern British Columbia, Canada

Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport is an international airport located 5 nautical miles north of Cranbrook and 20 km (12 mi) south-east of Kimberley, British Columbia, in the Canadian Rockies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ketchikan International Airport</span> Airport

Ketchikan International Airport is a state-owned, public-use airport located one nautical mile (2 km) west of the central business district of Ketchikan, a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough in Alaska, that has no direct road access to the outside world or to the airport. The airport is located on Gravina Island, just west of Ketchikan on the other side of the Tongass Narrows. Passengers must take a seven-minute ferry ride across the water to get to the airport from the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qantas Flight 1</span> 1999 landing in Bangkok with minor injuries

Qantas 1 was a Qantas passenger flight between Sydney and London that was involved in a runway overrun accident at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on 23 September 1999 as it was landing for a stopover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 1248</span> 2005 aviation accident

Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 was a scheduled passenger flight from Baltimore, Maryland, to Chicago, Illinois, continuing on to Salt Lake City, Utah, and then to Las Vegas, Nevada. On December 8, 2005, the airplane slid off a runway at Midway Airport in Chicago while landing in a snowstorm and crashed into automobile traffic, killing a six-year-old boy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 1455</span> Aviation accident in California, USA

Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 was a scheduled passenger flight from McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, to Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, Burbank, California, that overran the runway during landing on March 5, 2000. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-3T5, registration N668SW, came to rest on a city street adjacent to a gas station. The National Transportation Safety Board found that the incident was due to the pilots attempting to land with excessive speed. They also found that the air traffic controller placed them in a position from which their only option was a go around. Two of the passengers were seriously injured, and there were many minor injuries. As a result of the incident, the airport installed an Engineered Materials Arrestor System at the east end of the incident runway. The aircraft was written off, making the incident the 10th hull loss of a Boeing 737-300. This was the first major accident in the airline's 29-year history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garuda Indonesia Flight 200</span> 2007 passenger plane crash in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia Flight 200(GA200/GIA 200) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight of a Boeing 737-400 operated by Garuda Indonesia between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The aircraft overran the runway, crashed into a rice field and burst into flames while landing at Adisucipto International Airport on 7 March 2007. Twenty passengers and one flight attendant were killed. Both pilots survived, and were fired shortly after the accident occurred. It was the fifth hull-loss of a Boeing 737 in Indonesia within less than six months and was the most recent accident with fatalities involving the airline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Airlines Flight 491</span> 1993 aviation accident

Indian Airlines Flight 491 (IC491/IAC491) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Aurangabad to Bombay, operated by India's national airline Indian Airlines. On 26 April 1993, the aircraft operating the flight, a Boeing 737-2A8 with a registration of VT-ECQ crashed shortly after take-off following the aircraft's impact with a lorry and a high tension power line. The crash killed 55 people and injured 63 others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliance Air Flight 7412</span> 2000 aviation accident in Patna, Bihar, India

Alliance Air Flight 7412 was a scheduled Indian domestic passenger flight from Calcutta to Delhi, operated by Indian regional airliner Alliance Air. On 17 July 2000, while on approach to its first stopover in Patna, the Boeing 737-2A8 operating the route nose-dived and crashed into a residential area in Patna, killing 60 people including 5 on the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish Airlines Flight 1951</span> 2009 aviation accident

Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 was a passenger flight that crashed during landing at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands, on 25 February 2009, resulting in the deaths of nine passengers and crew, including all three pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Air Lines Flight 611</span>

Southwest Air Lines Flight 611 was a scheduled flight from Naha to Ishigaki. On 26 August 1982, the Boeing 737-200 overran the runway while attempting to land. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed, but none of the 133 passengers and 5 crew died in the accident although two crew and one passenger were seriously injured.

In aeronautics, loss of control (LOC) is the unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight and is a significant factor in several aviation accidents worldwide. In 2015 it was the leading cause of general aviation accidents. Loss of control may be the result of mechanical failure, external disturbances, aircraft upset conditions, or inappropriate crew actions or responses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhoja Air Flight 213</span> 2012 passenger plane crash near Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Bhoja Air Flight 213 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight operated by Pakistani airline Bhoja Air from Karachi to Islamabad. On 20 April 2012, the Boeing 737-236A aircraft serving the route crashed in bad weather during its final approach to land. All 121 passengers and 6 crew members aboard were killed. With 127 deaths, it remains as the second deadliest air disaster in Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363</span> November 2013 aircraft accident in Kazan, Russia

Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight, operated by Tatarstan Airlines on behalf of Ak Bars Aero, from Moscow to Kazan, Russia. On 17 November 2013, at 19:24 local time (UTC+4), the Boeing 737-500 crashed during an aborted landing at Kazan International Airport, killing all 44 passengers and 6 crew members on board, making it 2013's worst plane crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Air International Flight 293</span> 2019 Crash of a Miami Air International Boeing 737-800

Miami Air International Flight 293 was a military charter from Guantanamo Bay to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, operated by Miami Air International. On May 3, 2019, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating the flight overran the runway on landing. Twenty-one people were injured. The aircraft was written off, making it the 17th loss of a Boeing 737-800. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) attributed the accident to hydroplaning caused by heavy rainfall on the ungrooved runway; although the pilots were found to have made a series of errors during final approach and landing, the NTSB concluded that these errors had little effect on the final outcome, as the aircraft would have been unable to stop even if the landing had been executed properly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 46E</span> 1993 Aviation accident over Alaska

Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 46E was a scheduled cargo flight on 31 March 1993, operated by Evergreen International Airlines, on behalf of Japan Air Lines, from Anchorage International Airport, in Anchorage, Alaska, to O'Hare International Airport, in Chicago. After departure, while climbing through 2,000 feet, the pylon for engine two detached, causing the whole engine to fall off the wing. The pilots managed to land the 747 back at Anchorage without further incident.

References

  1. Ranter, Harro. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  2. Ranter, Harro. "ATC transcript Pacific Western Flight 314 – 11 Feb 1978". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  3. "February 11, 1978 : Cranbrook, BC, Canada : Pacific Western Airlines, Flight 314 : Boeing B-737-275 [sic] : C-FPWC". www.planecrashinfo.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. "Pacific Western C-FPWC (Boeing 737 - MSN 20142) (Ex CF-PWC)". www.airfleets.net. Airfleets aviation. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. "C-FPWC Pacific Western Airlines Boeing 737-200". www.planespotters.net. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Aircraft accident, Pacific Western Airlines Boeing 737, C-FPWC, Cranbrook, B.C., 11 February, 1978" (PDF). Aviation Safety Investigation Division, Aviation Safety Bureau, Transport Canada. H80001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014 via Federal Aviation Administration. (from Library and archives Canada cataloguing data)
  7. Collision Course (Documentary), Jason Malloy, 1 October 2005, archived from the original on 12 February 2017, retrieved 5 December 2020{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)