New York - Saint Marteen
Flight / Schedule
New York - Saint Marteen
Aircraft
Douglas DC-9Registration
N935F
MSN
47407/457
Year of Manufacture
1969
Date
May 2, 1970 at 03:49 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Charlotte Amalie-Cyril E. King (ex Harry S. Truman) All US Virgin Islands
Region
Central America • US Virgin Islands
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On May 2, 1970 at 03:49 PM, New York - Saint Marteen experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-9, operated by ALM Antillean Airlines - Antillaanse Luchtvaart Maatschappij, with the event recorded near Charlotte Amalie-Cyril E. King (ex Harry S. Truman) All US Virgin Islands.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
63 people were known to be on board, 23 fatalities were recorded, 40 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 36.5%.
Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 57, passenger fatalities: 22, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. ALM flight 980, from New York-JFK International Airport to Juliana Airport, St.Maarten, was being operated under terms of a lease agreement, utilizing an ONA aircraft and flight crew, and an ALM cabin crew. ALM 980 established radio contact with Juliana Tower and received clearance for an Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) approach to runway 09. The weather was reported as scattered clouds at 800 feet, estimated ceiling 1,000 feet broken, 5,000 feet overcast, and visibility 2 to 3 miles. The crew sighted the runway too late to land successfully on this approach, and attempted two left turn, visual circling approaches. The first circling approach was abandoned because of poor alignment with the runway again and on the second one the captain was unable to maintain the proper descent profile without reducing power and increasing the sink rate beyond acceptable limits. The captain executed a missed approach, made a low altitude return to the St. Maarten Radio Beacon, and was given clearance to St. Thomas at an assigned altitude of 4,000 feet. The fuel gauges were reported to have been acting erratically during the climb, but momentarily stabilized at 850 pounds of fuel remaining. A higher altitude was requested and a course adjustment was made for St. Croix, which was closer. Although the captain doubted the accuracy of the fuel gauge reading, he decided to descend in order to establish visual contact with the water. He also advised the purser that they were low on fuel, and to prepare the cabin for ditching. The purser made this announcement, and no other warning was given to the passengers prior to impact. The ditching site was confirmed on radar with the assistance of a PanAm flight that diverted for that purpose. Other fixed-wing aircraft orbited the area until the US Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps helicopters began picking up survivors. Weather in the area during the rescue operation was estimated to be 400 to 500 feet overcast and visibility as low as three-eighths of a mile in rain. The aircraft sank in water more than 5,000 feet deep, and was not recovered.
Aircraft reference details include registration N935F, MSN 47407/457, year of manufacture 1969.
Fatalities
Total
23
Crew
1
Passengers
22
Other
0
Crash Summary
ALM flight 980, from New York-JFK International Airport to Juliana Airport, St.Maarten, was being operated under terms of a lease agreement, utilizing an ONA aircraft and flight crew, and an ALM cabin crew. ALM 980 established radio contact with Juliana Tower and received clearance for an Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) approach to runway 09. The weather was reported as scattered clouds at 800 feet, estimated ceiling 1,000 feet broken, 5,000 feet overcast, and visibility 2 to 3 miles. The crew sighted the runway too late to land successfully on this approach, and attempted two left turn, visual circling approaches. The first circling approach was abandoned because of poor alignment with the runway again and on the second one the captain was unable to maintain the proper descent profile without reducing power and increasing the sink rate beyond acceptable limits. The captain executed a missed approach, made a low altitude return to the St. Maarten Radio Beacon, and was given clearance to St. Thomas at an assigned altitude of 4,000 feet. The fuel gauges were reported to have been acting erratically during the climb, but momentarily stabilized at 850 pounds of fuel remaining. A higher altitude was requested and a course adjustment was made for St. Croix, which was closer. Although the captain doubted the accuracy of the fuel gauge reading, he decided to descend in order to establish visual contact with the water. He also advised the purser that they were low on fuel, and to prepare the cabin for ditching. The purser made this announcement, and no other warning was given to the passengers prior to impact. The ditching site was confirmed on radar with the assistance of a PanAm flight that diverted for that purpose. Other fixed-wing aircraft orbited the area until the US Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps helicopters began picking up survivors. Weather in the area during the rescue operation was estimated to be 400 to 500 feet overcast and visibility as low as three-eighths of a mile in rain. The aircraft sank in water more than 5,000 feet deep, and was not recovered.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
6
Passengers On Board
57
Estimated Survivors
40
Fatality Rate
36.5%
Known people on board: 63
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
New York - Saint Marteen
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
Central America • US Virgin Islands
Aircraft Details
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