- Date
- September 18, 1991, 21:50 local (Sep 19, 1991, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Belvedere Ctr, VT
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CFICAConvair CV-580
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 36811
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
Failure of the first officer (co-pilot) to maintain control of the aircraft after becoming spatially disoriented, and his exceeding the design stress limits of the aircraft. Factors related to the accident were: the lack of two pilots in the cockpit, darkness, and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at flight altitude.
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
The airplane was cruising in night instrument meteorological conditions when it entered a left turn and exceeded the design airframe limits. The airplane broke up in the descent due to aerodynamic forces and was destroyed.. The outboard wing panels had failed downward and center wing section separated from the fuselage. The horizontal stabilizer and elevators had failed down and aft. The captain was found out of the cockpit with no evidence of him being in the seat at impact a human factors study found the aircraft's last minute of flight matched a profile of a pilot experiencing spatial disorientation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CFICA
- Reported as
- Convair CV-580
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 98
- Airframe hours
- 39,323
- Engine
- Allison 501-D13D, 3,750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Canair Cargo Ltd
- Registered owner
- Canair Cargo Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- AAIP · September 11, 1991 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- YQM · Moncton,N.B.
- Destination
- YHM · Hamilton,Ont
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,400 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 193 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BTV, 25 nm away