Night approach accident at Oxford-University Airport

No fatalities • University-Oxford, United States of America • Landing (descent or approach)

An aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold during a night approach to Oxford-University Airport, resulting in no injuries but significant damage.

What happened

During a nighttime arrival at Oxford-University Airport, an aircraft impacted the terrain before reaching the runway threshold. The incident occurred while the flight was performing an approach under conditions of limited visibility. Upon striking the ground, the aircraft's landing gear was sheared off, causing the plane to come to a stop on the airfield.

There were zero fatalities and no injuries reported among the three crew members on board. While the personnel escaped unharmed, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.

Findings

Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements to the impact. The co-pilot in command failed to maintain the necessary altitude and miscalculated the aircraft's distance from the runway during the final approach phase. This error was compounded by inadequate supervision of the flight operations by the captain. Additionally, the lack of runway approach lighting at the time of the event contributed to the difficulty in maintaining situational awareness during the low-visibility approach.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the co-pilot misjudging altitude and distance during a night approach, exacerbated by insufficient oversight from the captain and a lack of approach lighting.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1968-01-01 Martin 404 accident near University-Oxford, United States of America?

An aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold during a night approach to Oxford-University Airport, resulting in no injuries but significant damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 1968-01-01 Martin 404 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1968-01-01 involved a Martin 404, registration N251S, operated by Southern Airways - USA, at University-Oxford, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by the co-pilot misjudging altitude and distance during a night approach, exacerbated by insufficient oversight from the captain and a lack of approach lighting.

Loading the flight search…