Laredo - Houston

On September 11, 1991 at 10:03 AM, Laredo - Houston experienced a crash involving Embraer EMB-120 Brasília, operated by Continental Express, with the event recorded near Eagle Lake Texas.

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

14 people were known to be on board, 14 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: 11, passenger fatalities: 11, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The airplane broke up in flight while descending from FL240. The horizontal stabilizer, or top of the T-type tail, had separated from the fuselage before ground impact. Examination revealed that the 47 screw fasteners that would have attached the upper surface of the leading edge assembly for the left side of the horizontal stabilizer were missing. They had been removed the night before during scheduled maintenance. Investigation revealed that there was a lack of compliance with the FAA-approved general maintenance manual procedures by the mechanics, inspectors, and supervisors responsible for assuring the airworthiness of the airplane the night before the accident. In addition, routine surveillance of the continental express maintenance department by the FAA was inadequate and did not detect deficiencies, such as those that led to this accident. All 14 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N33701, MSN 120-077, year of manufacture 1987.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 29.5895°, -96.3312°.