What happened
On the return leg of a scheduled passenger and cargo service, Texas International Airlines Flight 655 departed Memphis and stopped at Pine Bluff before proceeding to El Dorado. Following a stop in El Dorado, the crew utilized onboard weather radar to inspect storm activity west of the airport, noting what appeared to be a gap in the weather echoes near the 300° radial of the El Dorado VORTAC. While taxiing for runway 22, the crew notified Flight Service Station controllers that they intended to operate under visual flight rules (VFR) for the remainder of the trip to Texarkana.
The Convair aircraft departed at 20:15 and initially climbed to 1,500 feet msl while maintaining a magnetic heading of 290°. Between 20:49 and the time of impact, the flight maintained altitudes between approximately 2,025 and 2,200 feet. During this period, the pilot flying expressed significant uncertainty regarding the aircraft's exact position and its relation to the surrounding terrain. Despite the captain suggesting that the local terrain elevation was relatively low, the crew continued to struggle with navigation.
Shortly before the accident, the crew engaged in a discussion regarding their heading and proximity to the Page VORTAC. At 20:52:19, the aircraft struck the heavily forested northern slope of Black Fork Mountain in the Ouachita Mountain Range at an elevation of 2,025 feet. There were 0 survivors of this impact.
Findings
The accident was driven by the captain's decision to attempt VFR operations during night IMC without utilizing all available navigational aids or information. Additionally, the flight deviated from its intended route while lacking sufficient position awareness. The investigation also noted that the carrier failed to provide adequate monitoring and control over the crew's actions and flight progress.