Grider Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
Thursday, April 29, 1993 15:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN CLIMB, CAPTAIN (PIC) INCREASED PITCH, WHEN FLIGHT ATTENDANT (F/A) ENTERED COCKPIT & SUGGESTED FASTER CLIMB, SO SHE COULD BEGIN CABIN SERVICE. AUTOFLIGHT WAS SET IN PITCH & HEADING MODES, CONTRARY TO COMPANY POLICY. PIC & F/A HAD NON- PERTINENT CONVERSATION FOR 4.5 MIN, WHILE 1ST OFFICER (F/O) WAS MAKING LOG ENTRIES. AIRPLANE STALLED IN IMC AT 17,400'. INITIAL RECOVERY WAS AT 6700' AFTER F/O LOWER GEAR, THEN DUE TO IMPROPER RECOVERY, 2ND STALL OCCURRED & RECOVERY WAS AT 5500'. LEFT PROPELLER SHED 3 BLADES, LEFT ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED, LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN DESCENT. LEVEL FLIGHT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED & FORCED LANDING WAS MADE AT CLOSED AIRPORT. PIC OVERSHOT FINAL TURN DUE TO CONTROLLABILITY PROBLEMS & LANDED FAST WITH 1880' OF WET RUNWAY REMAINING. AIRPLANE HYDROPLANED OFF RUNWAY & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. CREW GOT LIMITED SLEEP DURING 3 DAY TRIP, THOUGH REST PERIODS AVAILABLE. FREEZING LEVEL NEAR 11,500', CLOUDS TOPS TO 21,000' WITH POTENTIAL FOR ICING TO 19,000'. NO PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. (SEE NTSB SUMMARY RPRT: NTSB/AAR-94/02/SUM)

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL COCKPIT DISCIPLINE, HIS CONSEQUENT INATTENTION TO FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS AND ICE ACCRETION, AND HIS SELECTION OF AN IMPROPER AUTOFLIGHT VERTICAL MODE, ALL OF WHICH LED TO AN AERODYNAMIC STALL, LOSS OF CONTROL, AND A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS CONTIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: POOR CREW DISCIPLINE, INCLUDING FLIGHTCREW COORDINATION BEFORE THE STALL AND THE FLIGHTCREW'S INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO RECOVER FROM THE LOSS OF CONTROL. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FATIGUE INDUCED BY THE FLIGHTCREW'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE PROVIDED REST PERIODS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PINE BLUFF
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71601
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GRIDER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 206
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PBF
Elevation of weather observation facility 206
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 68
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 62
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 13
Injury Total None 17
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 13
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 471
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1601
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50158
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24706
NTSB Number FTW93MA143
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMBRAER
Aircraft Model EMB-120 RT
Aircraft Series Identifier EMB-120 RT
Aircraft Serial Number 120.093
Certified Max Gross Weight 25353
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 33
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 10398
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY, STE. 1900
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL EXPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15333 JFK BLVD., STE 600
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77032
Operator Code C2XA
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 LIT
Departure City LITTLE ROCK
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1516
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAH
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5998
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --