Elmira/Corning Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Horseheads, New York 14845
Saturday, January 18, 1992 10:28 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, GUSTY WINDS WERE FORECAST FOR THE SURFACE TO HIGHER ALTIUTDES. THE COPILOT WAS FLYING AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT FOUR MILES OUT FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 24. THE FLIGHTCREW RECIEVED PROGRESSIVE WIND INFORMATION DURING THE APPROACH; THE LAST REPORT WAS WIND AT 310 DEGRESS AND 25 KNOTS. THE APPROACH SPEED WAS V REF + 10. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHTCREW, DURING THE LANDING FLARE A WIND GUST OCCURRED, AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE GUST STOPPED AND THEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE RUNWAY AND LANDED HARD. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUSELAGE CRACKED NEAR WHERE THE WINGS WERE ATTACHED AND THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BENT DOWN ABOUT SEVEN DEGREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND GUST DURING LANDING FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1028
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HORSEHEADS
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14845
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELMIRA/CORNING REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 955
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELM
Elevation of weather observation facility 955
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 999
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 39
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2059
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46851
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N964VJ
NTSB Number BFO92FA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-30
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-30
Aircraft Serial Number 47373
Certified Max Gross Weight 106000
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 116
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 59251
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name USAIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2345 CRYSTAL PARK DR
Aircraft Owner City ARLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name USAIR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2345 CRYSTAL PARK DR
Operator City ARLINGTON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code USAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ITH
Departure City ITHACA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 6999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --