Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Saturday, March 4, 1995 22:29 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CREW REPORTED HEAVY MIXED ICING CONDITIONS ON THE WINDSCREEN AND SOME ICE AFT OF THE DE-ICE BOOTS DURING A DESCENT THROUGH 15,500 FEET, FOLLOWED BY TWO UNCOMMANDED LATERAL CONTROL MOVEMENTS. THE PILOTS SAID THE CONTROLS WERE STIFF AND THEY FELT A 'BUZZING' SENSATION IN THE AILERON AND RUDDER CONTROLS. THE AUTOPILOT WAS NOT ENGAGED AT THE TIME AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A CLEAN CONFIGURATION. THE CREW DID NOT REPORT ANY TURBULENCE UNTIL REACHING LOWER ALTITUDES. SOME PASSENGERS REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT TURBULENCE OR NOTHING EXCESSIVE, WHILE OTHER PASSENGERS DESCRIBED THE TURBULENCE AS 'SCARY' OR 'TOO MUCH'. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT REVEALED NO MALFUNCTIONS. THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER WAS ANALYZED AND THE DATA REVEALED SOME LATERAL CONTROL MOVEMENT THAT IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH TURBULENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an unexpected lateral control movement associated with in-flight turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/4/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2229
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89119
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 50
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 25
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5007
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 4 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N266AT
NTSB Number LAX95IA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ATR
Aircraft Model 42
Aircraft Series Identifier 42
Aircraft Serial Number 266
Certified Max Gross Weight 40000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 50
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMMONS AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 66374
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code AMR
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LAX
Departure City LOS ANGELES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2150
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LVS
Destination City
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --