Fri, Jan 10, 2003
Some truly alarming details are emerging in
the initial investigation of the crash of a Beech 1900, on
Wednesday, January 8th. Initial eyewitness reports of a normal
take-off, followed by an "extreme" pitch angle shortly before the
aircraft rolled left and impacted the airport grounds, are
being corroborated by the data analysis done so far by the
NTSB.
NTSB lead investigator, John Goglia, noted this investigation is
already targeting a closer look at the horizontal stab and
elevator... which received maintenance earlier this week in
Huntington, WV. Early FDR readouts suggest that the B-1900 departed
the runway and assumed an early pitch angle of 7 degrees, somewhat
normal for an aircraft flying with this load. However; by the time
the aircraft reached its highest altitude of 1200 feet, the pitch
angle had increased to an alarming 52 degrees.
"Something occurred to drive that pitch angle to
52 degrees," says Goglia (right), "That is abnormal."
The Air Midwest aircraft had an elevator trim tab replaced at a
facility in Huntington, WV, and there is evidence to suggest that
the aircraft's pitch control has been somewhat erratic ever
since (though there have been no reports disclosed, as yet, of
such by other crews flying this airplane). NTSB says that FDR data
indicates that the elevator had "moved erratically" since then.
Previous maintenance (before that done on Monday) shows no
trends related to issues involved in Wednesday's crash:
- 11.11.02 -- there was a report of an engine leaking fuel from a
drain. A fuel pump was replaced in what was called "a routine
component failure."
- 09.20.02 -- the cargo door light came on as the plane was
flying to New Orleans. There was no further incident.
- 05.16.02 -- the plane landed in Pittsburgh after reporting an
unsafe nose gear indication. The faulty item was replaced.
- 11.28.00 -- the plane was south of Omaha, Neb., when its right
engine lost oil pressure. The crew shut the engine down, and it was
replaced after the plane landed.
- 11.21.99 -- the plane returned to the Kansas City, Mo., airport
because of an unsafe gear indication. A gear switch was
replaced.
- 04.09.98 -- maintenance workers found a small crack on an
inboard flap bottom.
- 05.06.97 -- a cockpit light came on indicating an engine
problem as the plane was leaving Kansas City, Mo. The plane
returned for minor repairs.
** Report created 1/9/03 Record
3 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 233YV
Make/Model: B190 Description: 1900
(C-12J)
Date: 01/08/2003 Time: 1347
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: CHARLOTTE State: NC Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
AIR MIDWEST FLIGHT AMW5481ACFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 18R
INTO A US AIRWAYS HANGAR, 21 POB WERE FATALLY INJURIED, ACFT WAS
DESTROYED, CHARLOTTE, NC
INJURY DATA Total Fatal:
21
# Crew: 2 Fat:
2 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 19 Fat:
19 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: METAR KCLT 081251Z 22006KT 10SM SCT140 BKN250 03/M07 A2975
RMK A02 SLP028 T0033072
OTHER DATA
Activity: Business Phase:
Take-off Operation: Air Carrier
Departed: CHARLOTTE, NC Dep Date:
01/08/2003 Dep. Time:
Destination: GREENVILLE, SC Flt Plan:
IFR Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: LOCAL CONTROL WEST
Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
FAA FSDO: CHARLOTTE, NC (SO33) Entry
date: 01/09/2003
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