Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 9 January 1975
Aircraft Type: Convair T-29D (CV-240)
Owner/operator: United States Air Force – USAF
Registration Number: 52-5826
Location: 6,5 km W off Newport News, VA –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Component Affected: Both aircraft.Both aircraft.
Category: Accident
A USAF Convair T-29D and a Cavalier Flyers Cessna 150H aircraft collided at 1500 feet during nighttime operations near Langley AFB. Due to reduced nighttime conspicuity, the USAF crew failed to detect the Cessna.A USAF Convair T-29D and a Cavalier Flyers Cessna 150H aircraft collided at 1500 feet during nighttime operations near Langley AFB. Due to reduced nighttime conspicuity, the USAF crew failed to detect the Cessna.
Description
A USAF Convair T-29D (52-5826) was returning from Meridian when it approached Langley AFB at night. At the same time a Cavalier Flyers Cessna 150H light aircraft, N50430, was in the area. Both aircraft were on a collision course but due to the reduced nighttime conspicuity of Cessna against a background of city lights, the USAF crew did not see the plane. Both aircraft collided at 1500 feet and crashed. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The human limitation inherent in the see-and-avoid concept, which can be critical in a terminal area with a combination of controlled and uncontrolled traffic. A possible contributing factor was the reduced nighttime conspicuity of the Cessna against a background of city lights.”
Primary Cause
The human limitation inherent in the see-and-avoid concept, which can be critical in a terminal area with a combination of controlled and uncontrolled traffic.The human limitation inherent in the see-and-avoid concept, which can be critical in a terminal area with a combination of controlled and uncontrolled traffic.Share on:
