# NTSB DCA96MA008: McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N566AA, East Granby, CT, November 12, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 1 · Major · Final report - Date: November 12, 1995, 00:55 local (05:55 UTC) - Place: East Granby, CT - Location: 41.9581° N, 72.7368° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from BRADLEY INTL (BDL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9581&lon=-72.7368&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 77 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 23, 1997 - Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting - Investigation class: Class 1 - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Safety recommendations: Yes - NTSB case key (mKey): 11007 - NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA96MA008.aspx - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11007/pdf - Board report AAR9605 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR9605.pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA96MA008 ## Probable cause the flightcrew's failure to maintain the required minimum descent altitude until the required visual references identifiable with the runway were in sight. Contributing factors were the failure of the BDL approach controller to furnish the flightcrew with a current altimeter setting, and the flightcrew's failure to ask for a more current setting. (NTSB Report AAR-96/05 adopted 11/13/96) ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - light condition - dark night - weather condition - rain - weather condition - high wind - weather condition - gusts - approach/departure control service - inadequate, atc personnel(dep/apch) (contributing factor) - altimeter setting - not obtained, flightcrew (contributing factor) - minimum descent altitude - below, flightcrew (cause) - In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - object - tree(s) - object - antenna ## Analysis The airplane impacted trees, then an ILS antenna as it landed short of the runway on grass, even terrain during a night VOR approach in strong, gusty wind conditions. At the time of the accident, the indicated altitude (height above airport elevation) that the airplane's QFE altimeter was indicating was about 76 feet too high (based on the altimeter setting received at 0030), resulting in the airplane being 76 feet lower than indicated on the primary altimeters. Because the flightcrew knew that the atmospheric pressure was falling rapidly, they should have requested a current altimeter setting from the approach controller when was not given, as required, upon initial radio contact. Although the flightcrew did not use the most current QNH setting they had available (29.40 inches of Hg.) in the standby altimeter, this error did not affect the accident sequence of events because the flightcrew had the correct, but outdated, QFE setting (29.23 inches Hg.) in the altimeters they were using when the accident occurred. If the first officer had monitored the approach on instruments until reaching minimum descent altitude (MDA) and delayed his search for the airport until after reaching the MDA, he would have been better able to notice and immediately call the captain's attention to the altitude deviation below the MDA. ## Factual narrative On November 12, 1995, at 0057 est, an American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80, registered in the US as N566AA, struck trees on a ridge line 2.65 miles from the end of runway 15 at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT. The airplane then landed safely at the airport. One of the 72 passengers received a minor injury during the emergency evacuation. None of the 5 crewmembers were injured. The flight was operating under CFR Part 121 in instrument meteorological conditions. It originated at O'Hare International Airport about two hours before the accident. See NTSB/AAR-96/05 for details. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N566AA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N566AA), registered now, S/N 49348, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-83-md-83) (registry code 3022083) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49348 - Engines: P&W JT8D-219 21000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: American Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: ORD, CHICAGO, IL - Destination: BDL, WINDSOR LOCKS, CT - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BDL, Bradley International, runway 15, 6,846 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; commercial, airline transport, flight engineer, military; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 8,000 total, 4,200 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 19, 1995; seat: right; flight hours: 5,100 total, 167 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 170° at 25 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,800 ft overcast - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BDL, 3 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19951112036309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951112036309A), Nov 12, 1995: Doug DC9, Windsor Locks, CT, Substantial damage. Given windshear warning, advised he was going down on runway, call emergency equipment, aircraft landed on runway. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.