Incident Overview
Description
Suburban Air Freight flight 22 departed Omaha-Eppley (OMA) at 23:45 for a non-scheduled domestic cargo flight to Scottsbluff (BFF). The pilot was dispatched to Scottsbluff instead of his usual destination, Alliance Airport, NE (AIA) because Scottsbluff had a precision instrument approach, while Alliance Airport did not. The pilot elected to fly to his usual airport, and attempted a nonprecision instrument approach. The airport had both a VOR and an NDB approach. The NDB approach was noted as being out of service, although there was still a radio signal coming from the navigation aid. The pilot was cleared for the VOR approach, although instrumentation inside the cockpit was found set for the NDB approach, and radar track data disclosed that the flight path was consistent with the NDB approach path, not the VOR’s. The airport’s reported weather was 1.25 miles visibility, with a 200-foot overcast in mist. The airport’s minimum NDB approach altitude is 652 feet above touchdown height. The airplane did not reach the runway, and collided with a pole and a building. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The pilot’s descent below minimum descent altitude while on a nonprecision approach. A contributing factor was a low ceiling.”
Primary Cause
Pilot’s descent below minimum descent altitude while on a nonprecision approach, compounded by a low ceiling.Pilot’s descent below minimum descent altitude while on a nonprecision approach, compounded by a low ceiling.Share on:
