2 fatalities

1976-04-27: Cessna 340 (N69498) — 681 Ltd — Laramie-General Herbert J. Brees, United States of America

Laramie-General Herbert J. Brees, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On April 27, 1976, a Cessna 340 (registration N69498) operated by 681 Ltd was involved in an aviation accident near Laramie-General Herbert J. Brees, United States of America during landing or approach. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Spin on final approach after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. Contributing factors: improper operation of flight controls, improper IFR operation, failed to initiate a go-around, poorly planned approach, snow, marginal weather conditions. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781229268Data APIEditorial standards

While descending to Laramie-General Herbert J. Brees Regional Airport in poor weather with snow, the airplane banked left, entered a near vertical attitude, and crashed in flames, killing both occupants. The probable cause was a spin on final approach after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed, with contributing factors including improper flight control operation and weather.

Accident Summary

On the day of the accident, the pilot was descending to Laramie-General Herbert J. Brees Regional Airport. During the descent, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with snowfall. As the airplane approached the final leg of the approach, it banked left and transitioned into a near vertical attitude. Subsequently, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident, and both occupants were killed.

Weather Conditions

According to the investigation, the weather at the time of the accident included snowfall. Observers reported that the weather was marginal in the accident quadrant. The poor weather conditions were noted as a contributing factor in the accident sequence.

Sequence of Events

While on final approach, the airplane's attitude became abnormal. The aircraft banked left and entered a near vertical nose-down attitude. The altitude loss was rapid, and the aircraft impacted the ground in a fiery crash. The exact location and time of the accident were not specified in the source.

Probable Cause

The probable cause of the accident was determined to be a spin on final approach after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. Contributing factors to the accident included:

  • Improper operation of flight controls,
  • Improper IFR operation,
  • Failure to initiate a go-around,
  • Poorly planned approach,
  • Snow,
  • Marginal weather conditions in the accident quadrant.