What happened
On February 17, 1991, a cargo flight operated by Ryan International Airlines departed from Greater Buffalo International Airport with a scheduled stop at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport before reaching Indianapolis. The aircraft, identified as McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15RC with registration N308RT, was transporting mail for the United States Postal Service. During the takeoff roll at Cleveland, the plane encountered severe icing conditions. Despite the hazardous weather, the crew did not activate the deicing systems. The aircraft failed to achieve lift and crashed shortly after leaving the runway. There were no survivors among the 2 occupants, who consisted of the captain and the first officer.
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a thorough inquiry into the accident. Investigators focused on the weather conditions at the time of departure and the operational procedures followed by the crew. The NTSB found that the aircraft was not deiced prior to takeoff, despite visible moisture and freezing temperatures. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted systemic issues regarding how different organizations handled icing scenarios specific to the DC-9-10 series aircraft.
Findings
The primary cause of the crash was determined to be the flight crew's failure to deice the aircraft before departure. Contributing factors included a lack of experience among the Federal Aviation Administration, McDonnell Douglas, and Ryan International Airlines regarding the specific icing characteristics of the DC-9-10 model. These combined oversights led directly to the loss of control during the critical takeoff phase.