Baltimore - Detroit

On May 30, 1984 at 01:44 AM, Baltimore - Detroit experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-188 Electra, operated by Zantop International Airlines, with the event recorded near Chalkhill Pennsylvania.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Zantop ground personnel completed the loading of Flight 931 at 00:40. All cargo was bulk loaded and tied down on the right side of the airplane for the full length of the cargo compartment. Flight 931 departed the gate at Baltimore/Washington International Airport at 01:05 and took off on runway 28 at 01:10. At 01:11:42, Flight 931 contacted Baltimore departure control and was cleared to 13,000 feet. After switching to Washington ARTCC, the flight was cleared further FL220. At 01:32 a no. 2 gyro malfunction made the crew select the no. 1 gyro to drive both approach horizons and the problem appeared resolved. At 01:43:09, Cleveland ARTCC cleared Flight 931 direct to the Dryer VOR. After the turn to the Dryer VOR, the first officer’s approach horizon may have displayed incorrect pitch and roll information. The flightcrew may have received conflicting pitch and roll information from the two approach horizons as they attempted to recover from an unusual attitude. The flightcrew overstressed the airplane in an attempt to recover from the unusual attitude as the aircraft spiralled down. The Electra broke up and falling wreckage damaged some houses; however, most of the wreckage fell in uninhabited, wooded areas.

Aircraft reference details include registration N5523, MSN 1034, year of manufacture 1959.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.8446°, -79.6199°.