Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 Crash (N8984E)

Flight Details and Initial Descent Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a scheduled passenger service operating a Douglas DC-9-31, registration N8984E, from Charleston, South Carolina, to Chicago, Illinois, with an intermediate stop in Charlotte, North Carolina. The aircraft departed Charleston at 07:00 local time carrying 78 passengers and 4 crew members. During the descent into Charlotte, the flight crew engaged in non-essential conversations until shortly before the accident. These discussions, which included topics such as politics and used cars, diverted the crew's attention from the operation of the aircraft. As the flight intercepted the inbound VOR radial for the approach at 07:32:13, the crew began a 35-second discussion about Carowinds Tower, a landmark located ahead and to the left of the projected flight path. During this period, the aircraft descended through 1,800 feet, an altitude that should have been maintained until crossing Ross Intersection, the final approach fix (FAF). By the end of the discussion, the aircraft was still 1.5 nautical miles short of the FAF.