Incident Overview

Date: Friday 10 March 1967
Aircraft Type: Fairchild F-27
Owner/operator: West Coast Airlines
Registration Number: N2712
Location: 6,6 km SE of Klamath Falls-Kingsley Field, OR (LMT) – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: F-27 N2712 aircraft (specifically, the nose wheel and main gear).F-27 N2712 aircraft (specifically, the nose wheel and main gear).
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A Fairchild F-27 N2712 experienced a near-miss incident during a flight from Klamath Falls to Seattle due to snow conditions and a series of maneuvers. The aircraft was delayed due to snow and traction loss on the runway. Upon takeoff, the aircraft exhibited a series of erratic maneuvers, including a sharp swerve, a leftward drift, and a subsequent return to the left, culminating in a crash on a steep ridge. The aircraft’s loss of control was likely exacerbated by ice accretion on its airframe surfaces, which the Board recommends addressing through de-icing fluid application.A Fairchild F-27 N2712 experienced a near-miss incident during a flight from Klamath Falls to Seattle due to snow conditions and a series of maneuvers. The aircraft was delayed due to snow and traction loss on the runway. Upon takeoff, the aircraft exhibited a series of erratic maneuvers, including a sharp swerve, a leftward drift, and a subsequent return to the left, culminating in a crash on a steep ridge. The aircraft’s loss of control was likely exacerbated by ice accretion on its airframe surfaces, which the Board recommends addressing through de-icing fluid application.

Description

Fairchild F-27 N2712 operated on a flight from Klamath Falls to Seattle via Medford, North Bend and Portland. Because snow was falling at Klamath Falls, the aircraft was loaded in the hangar instead of on the ramp. There was some delay in pushing out the aircraft onto the ramp because the tow tractor lost traction in the snow. The aircraft was exposed to the falling snow for about 11 minutes before the plane was able to taxy out to runway 14. A few minutes later, at 05:01 the aircraft took off. During the takeoff roll, after rolling about 1000 feet, the aircraft gradually served to the left. The nose wheel left the ground 600 feet prior to the main gear at a point where the track was half way between the center of the runway and the left row of runway lights. The left main gear was about 12 feet off the left edge of the runway for a distance of 250 feet prior to lift-off. Just after lift-off the aircraft swerved sharply to the right and immediately back to the left. On climb out the aircraft tended to the left, despite several course corrections. After reaching 5250 feet, the altitude dropped again to 4700 feet. The aircraft continued to climb until it crashed on a steep ridge on the northwest slope of Stukel Mountain at an elevation of 5049 feet (1539 m). The F-27 was in a right wing low attitude when this wing contacted the mountain; the aircraft then cartwheeled up the 30deg upslope of the mountain. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Loss of control due to ice accretion on airframe surfaces. The Board further determines that the pilot should have required that de-icing fluid be applied to the aircraft to remove the accumulation of ice and snow prior to takeoff. This had not been done by the appropriate maintenance personnel.”

Primary Cause

Loss of control due to ice accretion on airframe surfaces.Loss of control due to ice accretion on airframe surfaces.

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