Aviation Crash Map

Douglas DC-9-30 N964VJ

18 January 1992 · Horseheads, New York, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 18 January 1992 at about 15:28 local time, a Douglas DC-9-30 registered N964VJ, operated by Usair, was involved in an accident near Horseheads, New York, United States. 41 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:28
Classification
Accident
Location
Horseheads, New York, United States
Nearest airport
Elmira/Corning Regional (ELM)
Coordinates
42.1603, -76.8208
Aircraft
Douglas DC-9-30
Registration
N964VJ
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Usair
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Ithaca → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
BFO92FA020

People

2 people were seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
41 0 2 0 39

Probable cause

THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND GUST DURING LANDING FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, GUSTY WINDS WERE FORECAST FOR THE SURFACE TO HIGHER ALTIUTDES. THE COPILOT WAS FLYING AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT FOUR MILES OUT FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 24. THE FLIGHTCREW RECIEVED PROGRESSIVE WIND INFORMATION DURING THE APPROACH; THE LAST REPORT WAS WIND AT 310 DEGRESS AND 25 KNOTS. THE APPROACH SPEED WAS V REF + 10. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHTCREW, DURING THE LANDING FLARE A WIND GUST OCCURRED, AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE GUST STOPPED AND THEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE RUNWAY AND LANDED HARD. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUSELAGE CRACKED NEAR WHERE THE WINGS WERE ATTACHED AND THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BENT DOWN ABOUT SEVEN DEGREES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Douglas DC-9 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
29 May 1991 Douglas DC-9-32
N933ML
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
no coordinates
Midway Airlines Minor injuries -
28 Jan 1994 Douglas DC-9-32
N3339L
Chantilly, Virginia, United States
no coordinates
Value Jet Airlines No injuries -
5 Jul 1994 Douglas DC-9-32
N901VJ
Valdosta, Georgia, United States Valujet Airlines Inc. Serious injuries -
2 Jul 1994 Douglas DC-9-31
N954VJ
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States - Fatal 37
31 Jan 1990 Douglas DC-9-31
N8978E
Louisville, Kentucky, United States Eastern Air Lines, Inc Minor injuries -
14 Mar 1990 Douglas DC-9-31
N8951E
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
no coordinates
Eastern Air Lines, Inc No injuries -

All 160 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
23 Aug 1992 Taylorcraft BC-65
N27558
Suffern, New York, United States Paul K. Nozell Serious injuries -
27 Jul 1992 MBB BO-105CBS
N729RJ
Brooklyn, New York, United States New York City Police Dept Unknown -
2 Oct 1992 Piper PA-28R-200
N9242K
Akron, New York, United States Robert S. Gordy Serious injuries -
6 Dec 1992 Piper PA-22-108
N4946Z
Williamson, New York, United States Williamson Flying Club, Inc. No injuries -
8 Dec 1992 Boeing 737-300LR
N516AU
Flushing, New York, United States Usair Fatal -
13 Dec 1992 Cessna 152
N46725
Quaker Street, New York, United States
no coordinates
Theodore S. la Fond No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States