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December 27, 1989 · British Aerospace BAE-3101 · N410UE

Pasco, WA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 27, 1989
Injury Outcomes
6 injuries (6 fatalities)
Location
Pasco, WA
Aircraft
British Aerospace BAE-3101
Tail Number
N410UE
Operator
Npa/United Express
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DCA90MA011

DURING ARRIVAL FOR AN ILS RWY 21R APCH, THE ACFT ENCTRD ICING CONDS FOR ABOUT 9-1/2 MIN. AS THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR THE APCH, THE SEATTLE ARTCC CTLR USED AN EXPANDED RADAR RANGE & DID NOT PROVIDE PRECISE PSNG OF THE ACFT TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE FLT CREW ATMTD TO CONT ON A STEEP, UNSTABILIZED APCH FOR A LNDG. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS WELL TO THE RGT OF THE ILS COURSE LINE & WELL ABOVE THE GLIDE SLOPE AS IT PASSED THE OUTER MARKER/FINAL APCH FIX (FAF). IT DID NOT INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER COURSE UNTIL IT WAS ABT 1.5 MI INSIDE THE FAF. ALSO, IT WAS STILL WELL ABOVE THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE WERE RECORDED ALT DATA WAS LOST WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABT 2.5 MI FM THE ARPT. THE TWR HAD CLOSED, BUT THE CTLR SAW THE ACFT IN A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DSCNT IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. BFR RCHG THE RWY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER & CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT ICE HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE AIRFRAME, INCLUDING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A TAIL PLANE STALL. (SEE: NTSB/AAR-91/06)

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FLIGHTCREW'S DECISION TO CONTINUE AN UNSTABILIZED INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS) APPROACH THAT LED TO A STALL, MOST LIKELY OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND LOSS OF CONTROL AT LOW ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER'S IMPROPER VECTORS THAT POSITIONED THE AIRPLANE INSIDE THE OUTER MARKER WHILE IT WAS STILL WELL ABOVE THE GLIDESLOPE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL WAS THE ACCUMULATION OF AIRFRAME ICE THAT DEGRADED THE AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE.

Full Narrative

DURING ARRIVAL FOR AN ILS RWY 21R APCH, THE ACFT ENCTRD ICING CONDS FOR ABOUT 9-1/2 MIN. AS THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR THE APCH, THE SEATTLE ARTCC CTLR USED AN EXPANDED RADAR RANGE & DID NOT PROVIDE PRECISE PSNG OF THE ACFT TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE FLT CREW ATMTD TO CONT ON A STEEP, UNSTABILIZED APCH FOR A LNDG. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS WELL TO THE RGT OF THE ILS COURSE LINE & WELL ABOVE THE GLIDE SLOPE AS IT PASSED THE OUTER MARKER/FINAL APCH FIX (FAF). IT DID NOT INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER COURSE UNTIL IT WAS ABT 1.5 MI INSIDE THE FAF. ALSO, IT WAS STILL WELL ABOVE THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE WERE RECORDED ALT DATA WAS LOST WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABT 2.5 MI FM THE ARPT. THE TWR HAD CLOSED, BUT THE CTLR SAW THE ACFT IN A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DSCNT IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. BFR RCHG THE RWY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER & CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT ICE HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE AIRFRAME, INCLUDING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A TAIL PLANE STALL. (SEE: NTSB/AAR-91/06)

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time22:30 PST
Nearest AirportTri-Cities (0nm N)
Runway21R
Runway Length7700 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBritish Aerospace BAE-3101
Tail NumberN410UE
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorNpa/United Express
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsGarrett · TPE-331 · Turboprop · 900
Seats19

People & Injuries

Injury Summary6 injuries (6 fatalities)
Fatal6
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total6
Crew 1Age 38 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
WindCalm
Visibility7 sm
CeilingOvercast 1000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point32 C / 30 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time05:45

Appendix: Source Data