Grumman G1159 N46TE

Summary

On 19 January 1990 at about 23:09 local time, a Grumman G1159 registered N46TE, operated by Tennessee Eastman, was involved in an accident near Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. 7 people were on board and 7 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 January 1990 at 23:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Adams Field (LIT)

Coordinates

34.7292, -92.2303

Aircraft

Grumman G1159

Registration

N46TE

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Tennessee Eastman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Longview → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MKC90MA049

7 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO FOLLOW IFR PROCEDURES (MAINTAIN AN ILS GLIDE PATH OR INITIATE A MISSED APPROACH) DURING AN IFR ARRIVAL TO THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AN ERRONEOUS WIND INDICATION FROM THE LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR ALERT SYSTEM (LLWAS), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INACCURATE WEATHER (WIND) OBSERVATION, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO TAKE ADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DRG ARRIVAL, HVY RAIN SHOWERS WERE RPRTD WEST OF ARPT. AT THE ARPT, THE WX WAS ABT 200' OBSCD WITH FOG & DRIZZLE, WND WAS EASTERLY AT 5 TO 7 KTS. THE PLTS INTENDED TO LND ON RWY 22, BUT AFTER BEING TOLD THE WND WAS GSTG TO 27 KTS, THEY ELECTED TO LND ON RWY 4. THE ACTUAL WND WAS NOT GSTY. THE ERRONEOUS GST INDCN WAS FM A MALFUNCTION OF THE LLWAS. ON FINAL APCH FOR AN ILS RWY 4 APCH, THE FLT WAS ADZD THE WND WAS FM 030 DEG AT 5 KTS & THE RVR WAS 1800 FT. MIN RVR FOR THE APCH WAS 2400'. THE CREW ACKNOWLEDGED; 22 SEC LTR, THE ELT ACTVTD AS THE ACFT TOUCHED DWN 1600' SHRT OF RWY 4 & HIT APCH LGTG SYS, RAILROAD TRACKS & A FENCE. INV REVEALED THE ACFT DSCNDD THRU WINDSHEAR. WHILE MNVRG ONTO FINAL APCH; GND SPD VARIED BTN 320 & 190 KTS AS ACFT WAS MNVRD THRU TAILWIND TO HEADWIND NR FAF. CVR DATA VERIFIED A DELAY IN DSCNT FM 4000' TO 1900' BFR RCHG FAF & THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED BFR EXTN OF GEAR & SPD BRAKES. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOW ENG RPM DRG IMPACT, BUT NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS FND. EACH PLT HAD OVER 10,000 HRS OF FLT TIME, BUT ONLY ABT 160 HRS EACH IN JET ACFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.