1969-07-10: Howard Super Ventura (Howard 500) (N320L) — Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV Aerospace) — Charleston-Yaeger (Kanawha), United States of America

No fatalitiesCharleston-Yaeger (Kanawha), United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

An aircraft en route from Washington to Dallas overran the runway at Charleston-Kanawha Airport after an engine malfunction led to an emergency diversion.

What happened

During a flight from Washington-Dulles Airport toward Dallas, the crew experienced mechanical issues involving the right engine. In response to the technical failure, the crew performed procedures to shut down the engine and feather the propeller. Following this incident, the flight was authorized to divert to Charleston-Kanawha Airport for an emergency landing.

As the aircraft approached runway 23, verbal interference from a pilot supervisor occurred during the landing sequence. The aircraft touched down 3,000 feet into the 5,600-foot runway. Due to insufficient remaining runway length, the plane could not stop in time and overran the pavement, eventually coming to a halt on a dirt bank where it caught fire. Although the aircraft was destroyed, all seven occupants managed to evacuate without injury.

Findings

While investigators were unable to identify the specific reason for the initial powerplant failure, the accident was attributed to the fact that the pilot-in-command misjudged the aircraft's speed and distance during the final landing phase.

Probable cause

The pilot-in-command failed to accurately judge the aircraft's speed and remaining runway distance during the emergency landing.