SEA97FA034

History of flight

On December 9, 1996, at 1803 hours mountain standard time, a Douglas DC-3C, N75142, operated by Desert Air Transport, Inc., doing business as Desert Air, and being crewed by an airline transport rated (ATR) pilot-in-command (PIC) and a commercial pilot serving as first officer (FO), was destroyed during impact with terrain following a loss of control while attempting to return for an emergency landing, at the Boise Air Terminal, Boise, Idaho. Both pilots were fatally injured. Visual meteorological night conditions existed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was a cargo run from Boise, Idaho, to Salt Lake City, Utah, was to have been operated under 14CFR135, and departed Boise at 1800.

On December 9, 1997, between 1751:22 and 1752:10, the crew of N75142 contacted Boise (BOI) clearance delivery and requested/received an IFR clearance from Boise to Salt Lake City (refer to ATTACHMENT CT-I), and between 1752:18 and 1752:34, the crew of N75142 contacted BOI ground control and received clearance to taxi from the cargo ramp to runway 10 left (refer to ATTACHMENT CT-II).

At 1756:36, the crew contacted the BOI local controller stating that "we're gonna need a uh run-up on the end here," and then radioed at 1759:31, "one four two is ready to go." At 1759:38 the BOI local controller transmitted "runway one zero left cleared for takeoff." The crew of N75142 acknowledged this transmission 4 seconds later.

At 1801:56, the BOI local controller inquired "douglas uh one four two you should be on runway heading is that right?" and four seconds later the crew of N75142 radioed "we got a fire on board we're coming back in."

At1802:02, the BOI local controller acknowledged the crews' last transmission, inquired as to whether they wished to land on runway 10 right or runway 28, and then provided the current wind. At 1802:14, the crew advised runway 28. Two seconds later the BOI local controller cleared the aircraft to land on any runway and this was acknowledged at 1802:21 with "OK."

At 1802:40, the BOI local controller received the following transmission: "we're gonna stall man ah (expletive)" followed nine seconds later by "ahhhhh (expletive)." During these latter transmissions the sound of the aircraft's engine(s) could be heard (refer to ATTACHMENTS CT-III and IV).

Three witnesses, two traveling westbound and one eastbound on Gowen Road, and a fourth witness slightly east of the upwind end of runway 10L, observed the aircraft after its takeoff (refer to CHART I). All four witnesses reported seeing "flames" or an "orange glow" coming from the right engine/wing area. The witness located near the runway reported that "it was dark and I could observe the normal blue exhaust coming from the left engine, but observed an orange glow and flames coming from the bottom of the right engine nacelle." The witnesses reported seeing the aircraft turn south and cross over Gowen road and then execute a left turn back toward the runways (10L/R). They also reported the aircraft as low (150-200 feet above ground) during the latter stages of the turn and several expressed concern over whether the aircraft would clear the power lines along the road and the fuel storage tanks just north.

Three of the witnesses were consistent in their observation of the aircraft's right wingtip impacting the ground followed by a cartwheel maneuver. One witness reported that "all of a sudden the right wing appeared to dip and the plane appeared to "flip" and land nose first into the ground" (refer to attached witness statements, maps and diagrams).

Personnel information

Pilot-in-Command (PIC)

The PIC was 60 years old and possessed an airline transport pilot certificate with a type rating in DC-3 aircraft. His most recent FAA medical examination was conducted August 6, 1996, and he received a Class II certificate with a restriction "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." According to FAA records, his estimated total civil flight on the date of this examination was reported as 15,150 hours.

A pilot log marked "Logbook #4" and bearing the pilot-in-command's name was found at the accident site and subsequently reviewed. The log was opened on June 22, 1990, with a total time of 14,234 hours brought forward, and the last entry within this logbook was dated August 29, 1996, and recorded as a DC-3 flight from Yakutat, Alaska, to Dry Bay, Alaska, and return. The PIC's total flight time, based on this logbook, as of this closing date was 15,288 hours of which 13,819 hours were as pilot-in-command.

Company records indicated that the PIC had completed a written airman competency check in accordance with FAR 135.293(a) on September 2, 1996. Additionally, the PIC's logbook showed a 6.7 hour flight from Spokane, Washington, to Long Beach, California, where he served as pilot in command. The aircraft was N2298C, a DC-3, operated by Salair, whom the PIC had been previously employed by. The Salair Chief Pilot confirmed that he gave the PIC an FAR 135.293(b) airman competency/proficiency flight check during that flight.

First Officer (FO)

The first officer was 57 years old and possessed a commercial pilot license. He also possessed an expired flight instructor certificate as well as a reciprocating flight engineer rating. His most recent FAA medical examination was conducted May 6, 1996, and he received a Class II certificate with a restriction "Must wear lenses for distant - possess glasses for near vision." According to FAA records, his estimated total civil flight on the date of this examination was reported as 8,000 hours.

The operator reported the FO's total flight time as 8,862 hours, of which 292 hours were logged in the DC-3, none of which were reported as pilot-in-command time. The operator also reported that the FO was employed solely in a first officer capacity and did not serve as PIC on DC-3 flights with the company.

Aircraft information

N75142, a Douglas DC-3C, serial number 9173, was manufactured in 1944, and at the time of the accident privately owned and leased to the operator. Aircraft logs and records, as well as paperwork found at the crash site, indicated that the aircraft total time at the time of the accident was approximately 34,124 airframe hours. The basic empty weight of the aircraft, according to its last weighing on May 20, 1994, was 17,673 pounds. The maximum gross takeoff weight was reported to be 26,900 pounds. According to information provided by the aircraft manufacturer, the gear ratio between the engine and propellers was 16:9 (1.777).

According to Aircraft Flight and Maintenance Log records found at the accident site, N75142 departed Salt Lake City, Utah, at 1125 on Saturday, December 7, 1996, with 600 gallons of aviation gasoline (avgas). Based upon a 2.0 hour flight time for the December 7 flight and a fuel burn of 100 gallons per hour (dual engine operation, block to block) from flight planning information found at the accident site, the aircraft would have arrived at Boise with approximately 400 gallons of fuel. The aircraft did not fly again until the evening of the accident.

The aircraft was equipped with a left and right main fuel tank, each with a capacity of 202 gallons, and a left and right auxiliary tank, each with a capacity of 200 gallons. Fueling records maintained by Western Aircraft, Inc. at the Boise airport indicated that N75142 was fueled on December 9, 1996, with a total of 120.0 gallons of 100 low lead octane aviation fuel avgas. The fuel slip indicated that truck number "JT-3" was utilized. An interview of the fueler by the FAA coordinator revealed that this was a written error and that the aircraft had, in fact, been fueled from truck number "FT-3." The total fuel weight at takeoff was estimated at 3,052 pounds.

Combining the basic empty weight of 17,673 pounds with an estimated 200 pounds per pilot plus the estimated 3,