Incident Overview
Date: Friday 27 December 1968
Aircraft Type: Convair CV-580
Owner/operator: North Central Airlines
Registration Number: N2045
Location: Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, IL (ORD) –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 27 / Occupants: 45
Component Affected: Approach lights and landing lightsApproach lights and landing lights
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A Convair aircraft experienced a go-around in adverse weather conditions ? 200 feet ceiling, light rain, and fog ? resulting in a near-vertical crash into a hangar. The incident was attributed to spatial disorientation caused by atmospheric refraction of approach lights and landing lights, leading to a transition between visual and flight instrument reference.A Convair aircraft experienced a go-around in adverse weather conditions ? 200 feet ceiling, light rain, and fog ? resulting in a near-vertical crash into a hangar. The incident was attributed to spatial disorientation caused by atmospheric refraction of approach lights and landing lights, leading to a transition between visual and flight instrument reference.
Description
The pilot lost control of the aircraft when performing a go-around in bad weather (200 feet ceiling, light rain and fog). The Convair crashed nearly inverted on a hangar. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Spatial disorientation of the captain precipitated by atmospheric refraction of either the approach lights or landing lights at a critical point in the approach wherein the crew was transitioning between flying by reference to flight instruments and by visual reference to the ground.”
Primary Cause
Spatial disorientation of the captain precipitated by atmospheric refraction of either the approach lights or landing lights at a critical point in the approach wherein the crew was transitioning between flying by reference to flight instruments and by visual reference to the ground.Spatial disorientation of the captain precipitated by atmospheric refraction of either the approach lights or landing lights at a critical point in the approach wherein the crew was transitioning between flying by reference to flight instruments and by visual reference to the ground.Share on:
