Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07078
Thursday, March 4, 1993 17:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLIGHT 3444 ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND ICING CONDITIONS WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 4R AT NEWARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. AN ANALYSIS OF THE WEATHER REVEALED THAT THERE WERE 'STRONG HORIZONTAL GUSTS' AND SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE NEWARK AREA BELOW 5,000 FEET. ALSO, THE FLIGHTCREW STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN FLYING IN ICING CONDITIONS THAT CONSISTED OF A MIXTURE OF RIME AND CLEAR ICE. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE OBSERVED ABOUT 3 INCHES OF ICE ON TOP OF THE WING, BEHIND THE LEADING EDGE WING BOOT. APPROVED PROCEDURES FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS REQUIRE THE PROPELLER SPEED BE MAINTAINED AT 86 PERCENT OR HIGHER TO PREVENT UNEVEN ICE ACCUMULATION OF THE WING. THE DFDR INFORMATION REVEALED THE CREW HAD THE PROPELLER SPEED AT 77 PERCENT, 9 PERCENT THE REQUIRED MINIMUM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHTCREW'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW APPROVED PROCEDURES THAT REQUIRED A MINIMUM PROPELLER SPPED WHILE FLYING IN ICING CONDITION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOSS OF ROLL CONTROL WERE THE ENCOUNTERS WITH SEVERE TURBULENCE AND ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07078
Event Date Year 1993
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 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 220
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EWR
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 28
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 46
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 34
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 5 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 21 2001 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99838
NTSB Number DCA93IA027
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 AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model ATR42-300
Aircraft Series Identifier ATR42-300
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 25000
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 30
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 No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRITT AIRWAYS
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRITT AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15333 JFK GTWII/600
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77032
Operator Code BRIA
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 BWI
Departure City BALTIMORE
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 4R
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --