- Date
- November 22, 1994, 22:03 local (Nov 23, 1994, 04:03 UTC)
- Place
- Bridgeton, MO
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 140 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA reports
- 19941122038712A19941122038711A
- Case key
- 10050
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The Cessna 441 pilot's mistaken belief that his assigned departure runway was runway 30R, which resulted in his undetected entrance onto runway 30R, which was being used by the MD-82 for its departure. Contributing to the accident was the lack of Automatic Terminal Information Service and other air traffic control (ATC) information regarding the occasional use of runway 31 for departure. The installation and utilization of Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-3), and particularly ASDE-3 enhanced with the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS), could have prevented this accident. (NTSB Report AAR-95/05)
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll on runway 30R, the MD-82, N954U, collided with the Cessna 441, N441KM, which was positioned on the runway waiting for takeoff clearance. The pilot of the Cessna acted on an apparently preconceived idea that he would use his arrival runway, runway 30R, for departure. After receiving taxi clearance to back-taxi into position and hold on runway 31, the pilot taxied into a position at an intersection on runway 30R, which was the assigned departure runway for the MD-82. The ATIS current at the time the Cessna pilot was operating in the Lambert-St. Louis area listed runways 30R and 30L as the active runways for arrivals and departures; there was no mention of the occasional use of runway 31. Air traffic control personnel were not able to maintain visual contact with the Cessna after it taxied from the well-lighted ramp area into the runway/taxiway environment of the northeast portion of the airport. An operational ASDE-3, particularly ASDE-3 enhanced with AMASS, could be used to supplement visual scan of the northeast portion of the airport.
Factual narrative
See published report NTSB/AAR-95/05.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N954U
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49426
- Airframe hours
- 21,438
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-200, 20,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Trans World Airlines, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Polaris Aircraft Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 11, 1994 · 77 hours before
- Destination
- DEN · Denver, CO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- STL · Lambert-St. Louis Intl, runway 30R, 9,003 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N441KM
- Reported as
- Cessna 441
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 441-0196
- Airframe hours
- 3,779
- Engine
- Airesearch TPE331, 904 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Superior Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Garrett Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · July 1, 1994
- Departed
- STL
- Destination
- IMT · Iron Mountain, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- STL · Lambert-St. Louis Intl, runway 30R, 9,003 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N954U
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18,651 total · 3,178 in this make and model · 6,461 as pilot in command · 168 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N441KM
- Age
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,940 total · 2,060 in this make and model · 155 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STL
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.