What happened
On a scheduled flight from Indianapolis to Washington-National, Trans World Airlines Flight 514 diverted to Dulles International Airport due to high crosswinds at its original destination. The Boeing 727 departed Columbus, Ohio, with 85 passengers and 7 crew members on board. During the descent toward Dulles, the flightcrew was cleared by air traffic controllers to descend through various altitudes, eventually reaching 7,000 feet.
As the aircraft progressed toward the airport, the crew engaged in discussions regarding the instrument approach for runway 12 and monitored various navigational aids. While the crew was navigating the approach, the aircraft began a continuous descent. Despite the activation of altitude alert horns and radio altimeter warnings, the aircraft continued to lose altitude. At approximately 11:09:22, the aircraft struck the western slope of Mount Weather, Virginia, at an elevation of roughly 1,670 feet. The impact and subsequent fire caused the deaths of all 92 individuals on board.
Findings
Investigations determined that the crew decided to descend to 1,800 feet before reaching the specific segment of the approach where that altitude was permitted. This error was compounded by a lack of clarity in air traffic control procedures and ambiguities in terminal area operations during instrument meteorological conditions. The investigation also noted that the approach charts did not clearly depict all necessary altitude restrictions, and the crew failed to recognize through chart examination that 1,800 feet was an unsafe altitude for their position.