Dulles Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chantilly, Virginia 22021
Wednesday, July 20, 1988 16:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER A MAINTENANCE INSPECTION. THE FLAPS WERE LEFT FULL DOWN AFTER A POST-INSPECTION BY COMPANY MECHANICS, BEFORE THE FLIGHT. WITNESSES STATED THE FLAPS WERE DOWN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 19L. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED STEEPLY AFTER IT LIFTED OFF WITH A PITCH ATTITUDE UP TO 60 DEGREES. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 200 TO 500 FT AGL, BEFORE IT STALLED AND DESCENDED NOSE DOWN IN A LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ABOUT 300 FT LEFT OF AND 2000 FT DOWN THE RWY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE FULL DOWN. THE SCROLL TYPE CHECKLIST WAS POSITIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TAKEOFF CHECK. THE FLIGHT MANUAL RECOMMENDS A 10 DEGREE FLAP SETTING FOR TAKEOFF AND PROHIBITS FLAP FULL DOWN TAKEOFF. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS DHC-6 ACCIDENTS INVOLVING FLAP FULL DOWN RESULTED IN A STEEP TAKEOFF CLIMB AND EXCESSIVE PITCH ATTITUDE FOLLOWED BY A STALL. THE POSITION OF THE CONTROL LOCK SUGGESTS IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE LOCKED POSITION DRG THE TKOF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY MISUSED THE FLAPS, BY FAILING TO SET THE FLAPS TO THE PROPER SETTING. THE FLAPS WERE SET FULL DOWN. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH UP STEEPLY AFTER LIFTOFF. ADDITIONALLY, THE FLIGHT CONTROL LOCK WAS PROBABLY INSTALLED DURING SOME PORTION, IF NOT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT, WHICH PREVENTED FLIGHT CONTROL OPERATION. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FLYING SPEED AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S INATTENTION AND HIS FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY USE THE CHECKLIST.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1608
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHANTILLY
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22021
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DULLES INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IAD
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 313
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2436
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39442
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7267
NTSB Number BFO88FA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-6-200
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-6-200
Aircraft Serial Number 195
Certified Max Gross Weight 11579
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 10513
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FAIRWAYS CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address WASHINGTON-NATIONAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20001
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 FWYA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1607
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DCA
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State DC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19L
Runway Length 11500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --