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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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August 14, 2013 · Airbus A300 - F4 622R F4 622R · N155UP

Birmingham, AL

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 14, 2013
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Birmingham, AL
Aircraft
Airbus A300 - F4 622R F4 622R
Tail Number
N155UP
Operator
United Parcel Service
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DCA13MA133

The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-14/02. On August 14, 2013, about 0447 central daylight time (CDT), United Parcel Service (UPS) flight 1354, an Airbus A300-600, N155UP, crashed short of runway 18 during a localizer nonprecision approach to runway 18 at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), Birmingham, Alabama. The captain and first officer were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The nonscheduled cargo flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on an instrument flight rules flight plan, and dark night visual flight rules conditions prevailed at the airport; variable instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with a variable ceiling were present north of the airport on the approach course at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Louisville International Airport-Standiford Field (SDF), Louisville, Kentucky, about 0503 eastern daylight time (EDT).

NTSB Probable Cause

the flight crew's continuation of an unstabilized approach and their failure to monitor the aircraft's altitude during the approach, which led to an inadvertent descent below the minimum approach altitude and subsequently into terrain. Contributing to the accident were (1) the flight crew's failure to properly configure and verify the flight management computer for the profile approach; (2) the captain's failure to communicate his intentions to the first officer once it became apparent the vertical profile was not captured; (3) the flight crew's expectation that they would break out of the clouds at 1,000 feet above ground level due to incomplete weather information; (4) the first officer's failure to make the required minimums callouts; (5) the captain's performance deficiencies likely due to factors including, but not limited to, fatigue, distraction, or confusion, consistent with performance deficiencies exhibited during training; and (6) the first officer's fatigue due to acute sleep loss resulting from her ineffective off-duty time management and circadian factors.

Full Narrative

The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-14/02. On August 14, 2013, about 0447 central daylight time (CDT), United Parcel Service (UPS) flight 1354, an Airbus A300-600, N155UP, crashed short of runway 18 during a localizer nonprecision approach to runway 18 at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), Birmingham, Alabama. The captain and first officer were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The nonscheduled cargo flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on an instrument flight rules flight plan, and dark night visual flight rules conditions prevailed at the airport; variable instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with a variable ceiling were present north of the airport on the approach course at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Louisville International Airport-Standiford Field (SDF), Louisville, Kentucky, about 0503 eastern daylight time (EDT).

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time04:40 CDT
Nearest AirportBirmingham-Shuttlesworth Inter (1nm N)
Runway18
Runway Length7099 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAirbus A300 - F4 622R F4 622R
Tail NumberN155UP
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorUnited Parcel Service
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsP & W · PW4158 · Turbofan · 58000 | P & W · PW4158 · Turbofan · 58000
Seats7

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 58 · First Class · Fatal
Crew 2Age 37 · First Class · Fatal

Conditions

ConditionsUnknown
LightDark Night
Wind340° @ 4 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 3500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter29.96 inHg
Observation Time09:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data