# NTSB DCA97MA009: Beech 1900C, N87GL, Quincy, IL, November 19, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 1 · Major · Final report - Date: November 19, 1996, 17:01 local (23:01 UTC) - Place: Quincy, IL - Coordinates: 39.929058, -91.380119 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9291&lon=-91.3801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 14 fatal - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting - Investigation class: Class 1 - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Safety recommendations: Yes - NTSB case key (mKey): 11020 - NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA97MA009.aspx - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11020/pdf - Board report AAR9704 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR9704.pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA97MA009 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) the failure of the pilots in the King Air A90 to effectively monitor the common traffic advisory frequency or to properly scan for traffic, resulting in their commencing a takeoff roll when the Beech 1900C (United Express flight 5925) was landing on an intersecting runway. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the Cherokee pilot's interrupted radio transmission, which led to the Beech 1900C pilot's misunderstanding of the transmission as an indication from the King Air that it would not take off until after flight 5925 had cleared the runway. Contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to be opened. (NTSB Report AAR-97/04) ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) the failure of the pilots in the King Air A90 to effectively monitor the common traffic advisory frequency or to properly scan for traffic, resulting in their commencing a takeoff roll when the Beech 1900C (United Express flight 5925) was landing on an intersecting runway. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the Cherokee pilot's interrupted radio transmission, which led to the Beech 1900C pilot's misunderstanding of the transmission as an indication from the King Air that it would not take off until after flight 5925 had cleared the runway. Contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to be opened. (NTSB Report AAR-97/04) ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Collision between aircraft (other than midair), landing - roll - monitoring - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - communications - not understood, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - airport fire/rescue service - inadequate (contributing factor) - Collision between aircraft (other than midair), takeoff - roll/run - monitoring - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - communications - not understood, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - airport fire/rescue service - inadequate (contributing factor) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) The Beech 1900C, N87GL, was in its landing roll on runway 13, and the Beech A90, N1127D, was in its takeoff roll on runway 4. The collision occurred at the intersection of the two runways. The flight crew of the Beech 1900C had made appropriate efforts to coordinate the approach & landing through radio communications & visual monitoring; however they mistook a Cherokee pilot's transmission (that he was holding for departure on runway 4) as a response from the Beech A90 to their request for the Beech A90's intentions, and therefore mistakenly believed that the Beech A90 was not planning to take off until after the Beech 1900C had cleared the runway. The failure of the Beech A90 pilot to announce over the common traffic advisory frequency his intention to take off created a potential for collision between the two airplanes. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) The Beech 1900C, N87GL, was in its landing roll on runway 13, and the Beech A90, N1127D, was in its takeoff roll on runway 4. The collision occurred at the intersection of the two runways. The flight crew of the Beech 1900C had made appropriate efforts to coordinate the approach & landing through radio communications & visual monitoring; however they mistook a Cherokee pilot's transmission (that he was holding for departure on runway 4) as a response from the Beech A90 to their request for the Beech A90's intentions, and therefore mistakenly believed that the Beech A90 was not planning to take off until after the Beech 1900C had cleared the runway. The failure of the Beech A90 pilot to announce over the common traffic advisory frequency his intention to take off created a potential for collision between the two airplanes. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 2) On November 19, 1996, at 1703 CST, a United Express Beechcraft 1900c, Flight 5925 collided with a Beechcraft King Air A90, N1127D, at Quincy Municipal Airport, near Quincy, Illinois. The United Express flight was completing its landing roll on runway 13 and the King Air was departing on runway 24. Both pilots and 10 passengers on the 1900C and both pilots on the A90D were killed. Both aircraft were destroyed. The 1900C was on an IFR flight plan and operating under FAR part 135. The A90 had not filed a flight plan and was operating under FAR part 91. The complete narrative of this investigation is contained in PB97-910404, NTSB/AAR-97/04. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 1) On November 19, 1996, at 1703 CST, a United Express Beechcraft 1900c, Flight 5925 collided with a Beechcraft King Air A90, N1127D, at Quincy Municipal Airport, near Quincy, Illinois. The United Express flight was completing its landing roll on runway 13 and the King Air was departing on runway 4. Both pilots and 10 passengers on the 1900C and both pilots on the A90D were killed. Both aircraft were destroyed. The 1900C was on an IFR flight plan and operating under FAR part 135. The A90 had not filed a flight plan and was operating under FAR part 91. The complete narrative for this investigation is contained in PB97-910404, NTSB/AAR-97/04. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N87GL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N87GL-1999-10-25), registration cancelled 1999-10-25, S/N UC-87 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 1900C - Registry model: [Beech 1900C](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-1900c) (registry code 1154161) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: UC-87 - Airframe hours: 18446 - Engines: P&W PT6A-65B 1173 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd., doing business as United Express Airlines - Registered owner: Raytheon Aircraft Credit Assn. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 27, 1996 - Departed: BRL, BURLINGTON, IA - Destination: UIN, QUINCY, IL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: UIN, Quincy Municipal, runway 13, 5,398 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N1127D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1127D-2013-08-15), registration cancelled 2013-08-15, S/N LJ-223, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A90 - Registry model: [Beech 65-A90](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-65-a90) (registry code 1152908) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [U/A Canada PT6 SER 578HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/u-a-canada-pt6-ser-578hp) (registry code 61501, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Airframe hours: 11392 - Engines: P&W PT6A-20 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Centurion Investment, Inc., doing business as Aviation Materials And Technic - Registered owner: Centurion Investment, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 15, 1996, 32 hours before - Airport: UIN, Quincy Municipal, runway 4, 7,097 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N87GL; age 30; injuries: fatal; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review September 28, 1996; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4,000 total, 2,200 as pilot in command, 235 in the last 90 days, 91 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot, aircraft N87GL; age 24; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 10, 1996; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,950 total, 223 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Pilot, aircraft N1127D; age 63; commercial, flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; toxicology performed; flight hours: 25,648 total, 22 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 70° at 9 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 14,000 ft broken - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: UIN, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19961119036011A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961119036011A), Nov 19, 1996: Beech 1900C, Quincy, IL, Destroyed, 11 fatal. Aircraft was landing on runway when it collided with another aircraft attempting to take off. - [Accident 19961119036012A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961119036012A), Nov 19, 1996: Beech 65A90, Quincy, IL, Destroyed, 2 fatal. While attempting to take off, collided with a aircraft that was landing. 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.