Description

On 27 January 2009, an ATR 42-300 being operated by Empire Airlines on a scheduled cargo flight from Fort Worth Alliance to Lubbock was making a night Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) to runway 17R at destination when it stalled and crashed short of the runway. The aircraft caught fire and was in any case effectively already destroyed by the impact. Both crew members were injured, one seriously.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (USA) (NTSB). It was established that the aircraft was correctly loaded. Icing conditions prevailed but no evidence that they were outside the certification of the aircraft or otherwise contributed to the outcome was found.

The aircraft commander was experienced but the First Officer, designated as PF had low aircraft type experience and lacked much previous experience of flight in icing conditions. En route, it had been anticipated that the destination weather conditions would preclude the First Officer remaining as PF and so the approach brief had been given by the aircraft commander. In the event, conditions were better than expected with overcast at 500 feet, a light northerly breeze and visibility 3200 metres and so the First Officer had remained as PF.