Narrative:The Pittston Company's Jet Commander 1121, N236JF, on a flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York, to Tri-City Airport, Johnson City, Tennessee, crashed while descending on a radar vector to the final approach course at Tri-City. The crew of two and the one passenger aboard the aircraft were fatally injured.
The aircraft made contact with the ground 2450 feet above sea level while in an approximately 60 degree nosedown wings-level attitude.
The impact site was about 2 miles northeast of Mountain Empire Airport, Rural Retreat, Virginia. The impact crater was 25 feet in diameter at the top, with a depth of about 18 feet. The left aileron was the only large piece of the aircraft that was visible in the crater. The remainder of the wreckage was below the loose dirt at the 9-foot level or strewn forward along both sides of a wreckage path that extended 500 feet beyond the crater.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Following a malfunction or failure in the 115-Volt alternating current electrical system, the crew did not take proper action, resulting in the loss of the pilot's flight instruments in instrument flight conditions and subsequent loss of control."
Accident investigation:
|
Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 10 months | Accident number: | NTSB-AAR-70-22 | Download report: | Final report
|
|
Classification:
Electrical system problem
Loss of control
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 2 Safety Recommendations
Issued: 07-OCT-1970 | To: | A-70-51 |
THE ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO ASSURE THAT ALL AVIONICS MODIFICATIONS TO AIRCRAFT, AND THEIR PROPER USE, BE DOCUMENTED AS AMENDMENTS TO THE MAINTENANCE AND FLIGHT MANUALS AND THAT THIS INFORMATION BE DISSEMINATED TO AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 30-OCT-1970 | To: | A-70-56 |
THE ADMINISTRATOR TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO REQUIRE THE ISSUANCE OF SUPPLEMENTS TO THE SPECIFIC AIRCRAFT FLIGHT AND MAINTENANCE MANUALS WHENEVER THE AIRCRAFT OR AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS ARE MODIFIED. THESE SUPPLEMENTS SHOULD ACCURATELY REFLECT THE AVIONICS SYSTEM INSTALLATION IN THE SPECIFIC AIRCRAFT AND THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Show all...
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from New York-La Guardia Airport, NY to Bristol, VA/Johnson City/Kingsport-Tri-Cities Regional, TN as the crow flies is 876 km (547 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.