Incident Overview
On March 22, 1992, USAir Flight 405, a scheduled domestic passenger flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Cleveland, Ohio, crashed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, a Fokker 28 operated by USAir, departed in poor weather conditions. During the climb, the undercarriage lifted off the runway but the airplane failed to gain sufficient lift, flying only several meters above the ground. The aircraft then veered off the runway, struck multiple obstructions, and came to rest in Flushing Bay, just beyond the end of the runway.
Occupants and Casualties
There were 51 people on board the flight. The accident resulted in 27 fatalities, including the captain and one cabin crew member. The remaining occupants survived.
Sequence of Events
After liftoff, the aircraft did not achieve a normal climb. It remained at a very low altitude, then deviated from the runway path. It collided with obstacles before settling in a partially inverted position in Flushing Bay. The poor weather conditions at the time were noted as a factor in the accident scenario, though the official probable cause was not specified in the source material.
Aftermath
The accident site was in the water adjacent to the airport. Emergency response and recovery operations followed. The flight was a regularly scheduled service.