What happened
On the scheduled flight from Charleston, South Carolina, to Chicago via Charlotte, an Eastern Air Lines Douglas DC-9-31, registration N898 and 4E, was conducting its descent into Charlotte. The aircraft carried 78 passengers and 4 crew members. During the approach phase, the flight crew engaged in lengthy, non-operational discussions regarding various personal topics, which diverted their attention from the cockpit instruments.
As the aircraft approached the Ross Intersection, the crew focused on observing a nearby tower, causing the plane to descend below the required altitude of 1,800 feet well before reaching the final approach fix. Although a terrain warning alert sounded when the aircraft was 1,000 feet above the ground, the crew did not react appropriately. The aircraft crossed the final approach fix at 1,350 feet, which was 450 feet lower than prescribed, and at an airspeed of 168 knots, significantly higher than the target Vref speed of 122 knots.
Following the crossing of the intersection, the crew failed to perform mandatory altitude and speed callouts. The aircraft continued a descent that eventually steepened shortly before impact. At approximately 07:33:57, the pilots were heard shouting just before the aircraft struck trees and a cornfield. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in 14 fatalities (including three passengers who succumbed to injuries days later) and 11 survivors.
Findings
- The primary cause was the crew's lack of altitude awareness caused by poor cockpit discipline and failure to follow established procedures.
- Extraneous conversation during the descent created a lax operational environment.
- The flight crew failed to heed the terrain warning alert when it activated.
- Critical altitude and airspeed callouts were omitted at several key milestones, including the final approach fix and the minimum descent altitude threshold.