What happened
During a period of moderate snowfall and freezing temperatures, a DC-9 experienced a loss of control during its takeoff roll. The flight had been delayed for 27 minutes between the completion of deicing and the actual departure. During the takeoff phase, the first officer performed an excessive rotation of the aircraft. This over-rotation caused the plane to stall, leading it to impact the ground to the right of the runway.
At the time of the accident, both members of the flight crew were relatively new to their specific roles within the company. The captain had accumulated only 33 hours of experience as a DC-9 captain, while the first officer possessed 36 hours of jet experience, all specifically in the DC-9. The first officer was operating on reserve status and had not flown for 24 days prior to this assignment, which was intended for proficiency.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the aircraft's upper wing surfaces were contaminated. While company protocols required a secondary deicing if a delay exceeded 20 minutes in icing conditions, the crew failed to perform this second application. This oversight was compounded by communication errors between air traffic control and the flight crew, which contributed to the delayed departure clearance.
- The primary factor was the failure to re-apply deicing fluid following the extended ground delay.
- Lack of management or regulatory oversight regarding the operation of newly qualified crew members was noted as a contributing element.
- Procedural confusion between the tower and the pilots led to the timing issues during takeoff clearance.