Beechcraft C99 N7217L
10 July 1991 · Birmingham, Alabama, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 10 July 1991 at about 23:12 local time, a Beechcraft C99 registered N7217L, operated by L'express Airlines, Inc., was involved in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama, United States. 15 people were on board and 13 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:12
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Birmingham, Alabama, United States
- Nearest airport
- Birmingham Airport (BHM)
- Coordinates
- 33.5206, -86.8104
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft C99
- Registration
- N7217L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- L'express Airlines, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Mobile → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- DCA91MA042
People
13 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE DECISION OF THE CAPTAIN TO INITIATE AND CONTINUE AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH INTO CLEARLY IDENTIFIED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM WHICH THE FLIGHTCREW WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH OBSTACLES AND THE TERRAIN. (NTSB REPORT AAR-92/01)
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO HOUSES WHILE ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 AT THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. THE WEATHER BRIEFING DATA THAT THE CAPTAIN RECEIVED IN MOBILE WAS ACCURATE, ADVISING HIM TO EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA. BIRMINGHAM ATIS INFORMATION WHISKEY AND X-RAY, MENTIONING THUNDERSTORMS, WAS ALSO ACCURATE, AND THE FLIGHTCREW HEARD THEM, AS WELL AS INFORMATION FROM THE APPROACH CONTROLLER THAT THE AIRPORT WAS EXPERIENCING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft C99 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1991 | Beechcraft C99 | Syracuse, New York, United States | Horizon Air | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 1992 | Beechcraft C99 | Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States | Cape Smythe Air Services, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 1990 | Beechcraft C99 AIRLINER | Moosonee, Canada | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Jun 1992 | Beechcraft C99 | Anniston, Alabama, United States | GP Express Airlines, Inc. | Fatal | 3 |
| 29 Apr 1993 | Beechcraft C99 | Shelton, Nebraska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 7 Jul 1988 | Beechcraft C99 | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | Air Kentucky Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 1991 | Globe GC-1D | Brewton, Alabama, United States | Jang, Kenneth | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1991 | Rockwell 114 | Bessemer, Alabama, United States | Frank, Randal W. | Fatal | 4 |
| 7 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Munford, Alabama, United States | MacOn Horizons, Inc | Fatal | 4 |
| 22 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Ashland, Alabama, United States | Sunny Skies, Inc. | Fatal | 4 |
| 20 Jul 1991 | Taylorcraft BC12-D | Mobile, Alabama, United States | Bean, Edwin A. | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Sep 1991 | Cessna C-172N | Alabaster, Alabama, United States | Teleunion Corp. | Fatal | 2 |