Rockwell 1121A N44

Summary

On 2 November 1988 at about 15:13 local time, a Rockwell 1121A registered N44 was involved in an accident near Oak Grove, Pennsylvania, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 November 1988 at 15:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Oak Grove, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Westmoreland Co. (LBE)

Coordinates

40.3903, -79.1491

Aircraft

Rockwell 1121A

Registration

N44

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pittsburgh → Latrobe

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA89MA023

3 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO OBSERVE THE RAPID ACCRETION OF ICE ON THE AIRPLANE DUE TO HIS ATTENTION BEING DIVERTED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACFT ENTERED AN AREA OF FCST MOD ICING. ICE DETECTION SYS HAD BEEN INTRMTLY INOP. THE ACFT ENTERED HOLDING IN ICING CONDWHILE CKG FLT INSP EQUIP. EVIDENCE INDICATED CREW NOTED ICE ACCRETION, ACTIVATED SURFACE DE-ICE SYS, ICE BROKE LOOSE ANDENTERED ENG INTAKES. BOTH ENGS FLAMED OUT. DRG EMERG DESCENT CREW INIT RE-STARTS, BUT NEITHER ENG WOULD SUSTAIN PWR. CREW RQSTD VECTORS TO MORE DISTANT AIRPORT. BOTH PLTS WERE SEEN DRINKING PREV NIGHT. C/P HAD RECENTLY LOST DRIVERS LICENSE FOR DUI. CAPT HAD DECIDED TO RETIRE THAT DAY. C/P HAD WORKED IN FLT OPS 3 DAYS IN 8 WKS AND HAD LMTD TRNG IN FLTINSPECTION. BOTH PLTS HAD PERSONAL STRESSES WHICH MAY HAVE INFLUENCED PERFORMANCE. CAPT'S CONTAMINATED THORACIC BLOOD REVEALED 0.057% ALCOHOL. PUTRIFICATION WOULD ACCT FOR PART OF ALCOHOL LEVEL. C/P HAD TRACE ALCOHOL IN URINE ONLY. BOTH ENGS SHOWED COMPRESSOR FOD CONSISTENT WITH ICE INGESTION. NO OTHER ACFT SYS OR ENG MALFUNCTION FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.