Columbus - Los Angeles

SKW5569, N683AV, had been cleared to runway 24L, at intersection 45, to position and hold. The local controller, because of her preoccupation with another airplane, forgot she had placed SKW5569 on the runway and subsequently cleared US1493, N388US, for landing. After the collision, the two airplanes slid off the runway into an unoccupied fire station. The tower operating procedures did not require flight progress strips to be processed through the local ground control position. Because this strip was not present, the local controller misidentified an airplane and issued a landing clearance. The technical appraisal program for air traffic controllers is not being fully utilized because of a lack of understanding by supervisors and the unavailability of appraisal histories.

Flight / Schedule

Columbus - Los Angeles

Aircraft

Boeing 737-300

Registration

N388US

MSN

23310

Year of Manufacture

1985

Date

February 1, 1991 at 06:07 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Los Angeles California

Region

North America • United States of America

Coordinates

34.0587°, -118.4165°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On February 1, 1991 at 06:07 PM, Columbus - Los Angeles experienced a crash involving Boeing 737-300, operated by USAir - US Airways, with the event recorded near Los Angeles California.

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

89 people were known to be on board, 22 fatalities were recorded, 67 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 24.7%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 83, passenger fatalities: 20, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. SKW5569, N683AV, had been cleared to runway 24L, at intersection 45, to position and hold. The local controller, because of her preoccupation with another airplane, forgot she had placed SKW5569 on the runway and subsequently cleared US1493, N388US, for landing. After the collision, the two airplanes slid off the runway into an unoccupied fire station. The tower operating procedures did not require flight progress strips to be processed through the local ground control position. Because this strip was not present, the local controller misidentified an airplane and issued a landing clearance. The technical appraisal program for air traffic controllers is not being fully utilized because of a lack of understanding by supervisors and the unavailability of appraisal histories.

Aircraft reference details include registration N388US, MSN 23310, year of manufacture 1985.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 34.0587°, -118.4165°.

Fatalities

Total

22

Crew

2

Passengers

20

Other

0

Crash Summary

SKW5569, N683AV, had been cleared to runway 24L, at intersection 45, to position and hold. The local controller, because of her preoccupation with another airplane, forgot she had placed SKW5569 on the runway and subsequently cleared US1493, N388US, for landing. After the collision, the two airplanes slid off the runway into an unoccupied fire station. The tower operating procedures did not require flight progress strips to be processed through the local ground control position. Because this strip was not present, the local controller misidentified an airplane and issued a landing clearance. The technical appraisal program for air traffic controllers is not being fully utilized because of a lack of understanding by supervisors and the unavailability of appraisal histories.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

6

Passengers On Board

83

Estimated Survivors

67

Fatality Rate

24.7%

Known people on board: 89

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Columbus - Los Angeles

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Boeing 737-300

Registration

N388US

MSN

23310

Year of Manufacture

1985