Fatal aircraft crash at Evansville-William H. Dress Airport

17 fatalities • Evansville-William H. Dress, United States of America • Landing (descent or approach)

A Kentucky National Guard training flight ended in a fatal crash into a hotel and restaurant during a go-around maneuver at Evansville-William H. Dress Airport.

What happened

During a routine training mission for the Kentucky National Guard, a flight crew was performing touch-and-go maneuvers at Evansville-William H. Dress Airport. While approaching runway 22, air traffic control directed the crew to execute a go-around. Following this instruction, the crew applied increased power to the engines and reached an altitude of 1,500 feet.

At this stage of the flight, the aircraft transitioned into a sudden nose-down attitude. The plane descended rapidly and struck a hotel located approximately 4,800 feet before the threshold of runway 22. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft, the hotel, and an adjacent restaurant. The accident resulted in 16 fatalities among the occupants of the buildings and 5 fatalities among the flight crew. Additionally, a police officer sustained serious injuries during the event and passed away ten days later.

Findings

Following the climb during the go-around, the aircraft experienced an uncontrolled descent into a nose-down attitude prior to impacting the structures on the ground.

Probable cause

The aircraft entered an uncontrolled nose-down descent during a go-around maneuver.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1992-02-06 Lockheed C-130 Hercules accident near Evansville-William H. Dress, United States of America?

A Kentucky National Guard training flight ended in a fatal crash into a hotel and restaurant during a go-around maneuver at Evansville-William H. Dress Airport.

Were there any fatalities in the 1992-02-06 Lockheed C-130 Hercules accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 17 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1992-02-06 involved a Lockheed C-130 Hercules, registration 58-0732, operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947), at Evansville-William H. Dress, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft entered an uncontrolled nose-down descent during a go-around maneuver.

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