What happened
On the night of February 12, 2009, a Bombardier DHC-8-400, registered as N200WQ, was performing an instrument approach toward Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. The aircraft, operated by Colgan Air, Inc. as Continental Connection flight 3407, departed from its approach path and struck a house in Clarence Center, New York. The crash site was situated approximately 5 nautical miles northeast of the airport.
The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft. There were 47 fatalities in total: all 2 pilots, 2 flight attendants, and 45 passengers on the plane perished, along with one individual residing in the house. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were characterized by night visibility under visual meteorological conditions.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary cause was the captain's improper reaction to the activation of the stick shaker, which resulted in an unrecoverable aerodynamic stall. Several contributing factors were also noted:
- The flight crew did not properly monitor the aircraft's airspeed relative to the low speed cue.
- A failure to maintain sterile cockpit procedures occurred during the approach.
- There was a lack of effective flight management by the captain.
- The airline's inadequate procedures regarding airspeed selection and management during approaches in icing conditions contributed to the event.