Kinston - Huntington

On November 14, 1970 at 07:36 PM, Kinston - Huntington experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-9, operated by Southern Airways, with the event recorded near Huntington-Tri-State-Milton J. Ferguson West Virginia.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

75 people were known to be on board, 75 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 71, passenger fatalities: 71, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The airplane departed Kinston-Stallings Field, North Carolina, at 1838LT on a charter flight to Huntington, West Virginia, carrying players and fans of the Marshall University Football Team based in Huntington. Following an uneventful flight, the crew contacted Huntington Approach Control at 1923LT and was cleared for a runway 11 localizer approach. At 1934LT, the airplane passed the Outer Marker and the crew was cleared to land. In marginal weather conditions (mist and rain), the airplane descended below the minimum descent altitude and the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames on the slope of a hill located one mile short of runway 11 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and none of the 75 occupants survived the crash. At the time of the accident, there were scattered clouds at 300 feet, broken overcast at 500 feet and solid overcast at 1,000 feet. Among the 75 occupants were 36 players, nine coaches and administrators, 26 fans and four crew members.

Aircraft reference details include registration N97S, MSN 47245/510, year of manufacture 1969.