What happened
On a winter afternoon at Washington National Airport, an Air Florida Boelet 737-222 was preparing for a flight to Fort Lauderdale via Tampa. Following a period of airport closure due to heavy snowfall, the crew attempted to deice the aircraft. During this process, the left side of the fuselage received Type II deicing fluid, but the operation was interrupted and later resumed. Notably, no covers or plugs were used to protect engine or airframe openings during these procedures.
During the pushback phase, a tug without chains struggled to move the aircraft due to slippery conditions on the ramp. In an attempt to assist movement, the crew utilized reverse thrust, which likely redistributed snow onto the aircraft surfaces. Following a second pushback attempt, the aircraft taxied to runway 36. To complete deicing, the crew positioned their aircraft behind a New York Air DC-9, using the preceding plane's exhaust to melt ice; however, this action may have caused ice or slush to accumulate on the wing leading edges and obstruct engine probes.
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a slower-than-normal acceleration rate. Despite the first officer noting several anomalies during the roll, the captain did not abort the takeoff. Shortly after lift-off, the aircraft failed to maintain climb speed, triggering the stall warning system. The plane descended at a high angle of attack and struck the northbound span of the 14th Street Bridge. The impact destroyed sections of the bridge and involved several vehicles. The accident resulted in 7 fatalities (including those on the bridge) and 4 injuries.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary cause was the crew's decision to depart with snow or ice on the airfoil surfaces and their failure to activate engine anti-ice systems during ground operations and takeoff. Additionally, the captain failed to reject the takeoff despite being alerted to irregular engine readings. The accident was further compounded by a long delay between deicing and takeoff that left the aircraft exposed to precipitation, as well as the crew's lack of experience with winter jet operations.