NTSB Animation Comair Flight 3272

Video courtesy NTSB

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20001208X07277&key=1

The flight was being vectored for the approach to runway 3R at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) when the aircraft descended and impacted the ground. The aircraft struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude in a level field in a rural area about 19 nm southwest of DTW. The flight carried 26 passengers and 3 crew members. There were no survivors and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The investigation revealed that it was likely that the airplane gradually accumulated a thin, rough glaze/mixed ice coverage on the leading edge deicing boot surfaces, possibly with ice ridge formation on the leading edge upper surface, as the airplane descended from 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl) to 4,000 feet msl in icing conditions, which may have been imperceptible to the pilots. The pilots had been instructed by air traffic control to slow to 150 knots and according to flight data recorder information, the airplane began to show signs of departure from controlled flight as it decelerated from 155 to 156 knots while in a flaps-up configuration. The investigation disclosed that the FAA failed to adopt a systematic and proactive approach to the certification, and operational issues of turbopropeller-driven transport airplane icing. The icing certification process has been inadequate because it has not required manufacturers to demonstrate the airplane's flight handling and stall characteristics under a sufficiently realistic range of adverse ice accretion/flight handling conditions. The aircraft manufacturer had issued a revision in April, 1996 to the approved flight manual which included activation of the leading edge deicing boots at the first sign of ice formation. The airplane operator did not incorporate the procedure, because it was contrary to the company's trained procedures and practices and of the belief that enacting the changes would result in potentially unsafe operation. Investigators' discussion with management personnel at each of the seven U.S.-based operators of the aircraft indicated that at the time of the accident only two of these operators had changed their procedures to reflect the information in the revision. The FAA, at the time of the accident, did not require manufacturers of all turbine-engine driven airplanes to publish minimum airspeed information for various flap configurations and phases and conditions of flight. During Safety Board investigators postaccident interviews with company pilots, there were inconsistent answers on the complex and varied minimum airspeed requirements established by the company for both icing and nonicing conditions. It was also noted that the pilots uncertainty of the appropriate airspeeds might have been associated with the language used, the different airspeeds and criteria contained in the guidance, the company's methods of distribution, and the company's failure t o incorporate the guidance as a formal, permanent revision to the flight standards manual.

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[xStevenBradleyx]

This plane crashed about 3 miles from my grandmothers house. I did not see the plane crash myself but did hear it hit the ground. Sounded like a car door was slammed shut right outside the house. Hate hearing car doors shut now because I think about that day and how that sound was all those poor people dying. =\

[charlieechovictor]

@tulaconalas from what I've understood, they didn't have the boots...

[blueb0g]

@EasternMerchant Icing problems exist for both but jets fly faster and higher altitude and are so less susceptible.

[EasternMerchant]

how come there's only icing problem for props? I never see icing problems for jets.

[hammerogod]

@trainfreak7745

Just wait until you hear it...then comment on what it sounds like.

I can only hope you never have to describe it.

[hammerogod]

@xStevenBradleyx

I heard a Beech Barron crash in a heavy Fog (killing 5)...that is the sound...a car door slamming.

Over the years I have heard three other people describe that sound...you are the 4th.

I only have two thoughts about it...#1- I don't want to hear it again and #2- It was over quick.

[jkiang]

With the yellow yoke under the reference gray yoke in the simulation, does it mean there were back pressure applied?

[trainfreak7745]

@xStevenBradleyx I mean i dont think a plane with that much fuel hitting the ground that hard would only sound like a car door slamming i believe you heard it just hard to believe thats it

[xStevenBradleyx]

@trainfreak7745 What do you mean "I really doubt that"? I was the one who heard it, not you. I was not right next to where it had crashed, as I said I was about 3 miles away and inside a house. I swore that someone was at the house cause it did sound like a car door slamming shut and the dogs were barking like crazy. I even went to see who was there but there was no one. Then 45 minutes later is when we heard what had happened.

[trainfreak7745]

@xStevenBradleyx thats all it sounded like was a car door shutting i really doubt that

[ThePiratadosacores]

it staled at 150 ias?

[bg11215]

God that had to have been terrifying for all those aboard. God rest their souls.