Overview
Mohawk Airlines Flight 411 was a scheduled passenger flight from Albany, New York, to Glenn Falls, New York. At approximately 2020 local time, the aircraft crashed into mountainous terrain about 9 nautical miles north of Warren County Airport in Glenn Falls. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members and 11 passengers sustained fatal injuries.
Accident Sequence
The flight had been cleared for a VOR approach to runway 19 at Warren County Airport. The surface wind was reported as from 150 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The ceiling at Glenn Falls was 2,100 feet overcast with visibility of 7 miles in light rain.
The aircraft overflew Glenn Falls at 3,000 feet and proceeded north for approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds. At that point, a left turn was initiated to return to the airport for landing on runway 19. During the final portion of the turn, the aircraft contacted trees and the northwest slope of Pilot Knob Mountain on a heading of about 180 degrees, approximately one nautical mile east of Katsskill Bay, New York. The aircraft then impacted a rock cliff, after which it dropped about 38 feet, became lodged between trees and the mountainside, and caught fire. The elevation of the initial impact with the rock face was approximately 1,960 feet.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was that the captain, while conducting an approach, exceeded his clearance limits and, thereafter, flew the aircraft into a severe 'lee of the mountain downdraft' at an altitude insufficient for recovery. No evidence was found to explain why this particular approach was attempted.