NATIONAL TRANSPORTATIO SAFETY : BOARD WASHINGTON AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT RE SOUTHERN AIRWAYS INC., DC-9-31, N1335U NEW HOPE, GEORGIA APRIL 4, 1977 REPORT NUMBER: NTSB-AAR-78-3TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE T Report Wor “Government Recesston Wo. | J.Reciplent's Catalog Vo NISBCAAR" 78-3 T-Racipfent's Catalog Ro. TW. Title and Subtitle Aircraft Accident Report — ‘5.Report Date Southern Airways Tnc., DC-9-31, N1325U, New Hope, January 26, 1978 Georgia, April 4, 1977 .Performing Organization code 7. Ruthor ts} B-Performing Organization Report No 3. Performing Organization Wane and Address TO-Wark Ute Wo. National Transportation Safety Board 2059-E Bureau of Accident Investigation Tetontract oF Grant No; Washington, D.C. 20594 T3-Type OF Report and Period Covered Tz. Sponsoring Agency Wane and Address yeaa April 4, 1977 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Washington, 0. C. 20594 Tu: Sponsoring Agency Code T5.Supplenentary Notes 16, Abstract At 1619 e.e.t. April 4, 1977, a Southern Airvays, Inc., DO-9, Flight 242, crashed in New Hope, Georgia. ‘After losing both engines in flight, it attempted an emergency landing on a highway. O£ the 85 persons aboard Flighe 242, 62 were killed, 22 were seriously injured, and 1 was slightly injured. Eight persons fon the ground were killed and one person was seriously injured; one person died about 1 month later. Flight 242 entered a severe thunderstorm between 17,000 feet and 14,000 feet near Rome, Georgia, en route from Huntsville to Atlanta. Both engines were damaged and all thrust was Jost, The engines could not be restarted and the flightcrew was forced to make an energency landing. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the total and unique loss of thrust from both engines while the aircraft was penetrating an area of severe thunderstorms. The loss of thrust was caused by the ingestion of massive anounts of water and hail which in combination with thrust lever movement induced severe stalling in and major damage to the engine compressors. Major contributing factors included the failure of the company's dtspatching system to provide the flightcrew with up-to-date severe weather information pertain ing to the aircraft's intended route of flight, the captain's reliance on airborne weather radar for penetration of thunderstora areas, and limitations in the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control system which precluded the timely dis~ Semination of real-tine hazardous weather information to the flightcrew. T7.Key Words TE.Distribution Statement Severe weather; thunderstorm; heavy precipitation; This document is avatlable compressor stalls; loss of thrust; weather dissemina- | through the National Tech- tion; dispatching system; afr route traffic control; | nical Information Service, National Weather Service; emergency landing. Springfield, Virginia 22151 Tg.Security Classification | 20.security Classification |21No, oF Pages | OL Price (of this report) (of this page) UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED I 106 WISE Form 1765.2 (Rev. 8/74)TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Biaitteadccococnuugqeogdcm ts Factual Information... 2... .2+222+ 2 History of Flight... ss... cee eee 2 Injuries to Persons... ee ee 7 Damage to Aircraft... 2... 000+ ++ eee B (Other\Denage es eg oe Personnel Information... ... 2-22-45 8 Aircraft Information... 2... eee eB Meteorological Information... 1... 9 Aids to Navigation... 2.2 eee eee 1h Commmnications. . . . peg Aerodrome and Ground Facilities)... 22.) 15 Flight Recorders... 0... eee eee 1S Wreckage and Impact Information. ......+- 17 Medical and Pathological Information. | +... 21 Wie gcgbuceeonnedceucocan ol Survival Aspects. 2... ee ee ee OD Tests and Research»... eee 25 Additional Information... 2+ +e e+. 27 Aixceaft Performance Data. see... 0. 7 Southern Airvaye, Tne. Operating Procedures. . 27 Aircraft Weather Radar... - oe | 29 Air Traffic Control and Severe Weather fivoldance 0 ee | 90) Analysis and Conclusions. - +++ +++ +++. 32 foslvelenae See ee fe | oll Engine Failures and Flighterew Reactions... . 31 Acquisition, Dissemination, and Interpretation . of Weather Information» +--+ ++ +++ 35 Couehusiomes te 00) Findings . 2... ee 8) Probable Cause... eee eee ee ee AL Recommendations... 2-2 + eee eee ees 2 Appendixes... eee eee tae 49 Appendix A ~ Investigation and Hearing . | 49 Appendix B - Personnel Information... .... 50 Appendix C - Aircraft Information. ..... +. 52 Appendix D - Cockpit Voice Recorder Transcript . 53 Appendix E - Probable Ground Track and Weather Radar Plot... .. 4. é 99 Appendix F - Sunmary of Passenger and Flight Attendant Observations. . ion 103 Appendix G - Advisory Circular 90-128. “a