Boeing B-737-300 accident near Aliquippa, PA
On September 8, 1994, a Boeing B-737-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Aliquippa, PA. 132 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 8, 1994
- Place
- Aliquippa, PA
- Aircraft
- Boeing B-737-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 132 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.610°N, 80.251°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X02233
Official records · DCA94MA076
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
- Investigation page: status, final report and safety recommendations
Air traffic control records
- ATC 3a-Factual Report Of Group Chairman: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3b-ATC Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Public Hearing Transcript 01-23-95-318 Pages: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Public Hearing Transcript 01-24-95-365 Pages: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Public Hearing Transcript 01-25-95-395 Pages: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
On September 8, 1994, USAir flight 427, a Boeing 737-300, N513AU, crashed near Aliquippa, PA at about 1903 eastern daylight time. The airplane was destroyed by impact and post crash fire. The 2 pilots, 3 flight attendants and 127 passengers were fatally injured. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight crew was in contact with the local controller and was being maneuvered to enter a right downwind pattern for runway 28R at Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh, PA. The flight crew did not report any problems with the airplane and radar data indicates that the closest other traffic was about 4.5 miles and 1,500 feet vertically separated from flight 427 at the time of the accident. The airplane struck the ground at an angle of descent of about 80 degrees, in a slight roll to the left, and the airspeed was about 260 knots at impact. The airplane was severely fragmented by the impact. There was an intense postcrash fire. Both engines were producing power at impact and were running symmetrically. The thrust reversers were stowed at impact. The flaps were at a "Flap 1" setting. At this setting, the leading edge slats and Kreuger flaps are extended. The spoilers were retracted and the landing gear were retracted. These are the expected positions forthe airplane during the initial approach. The horizontal stabilizer was in an intermediate position, consistent with a speed of about 190 knots. The elevator power control unit was at 14 degrees nose up
Probable cause
A loss of control of the airplane resulting from the movement of the rudder surface to its blowdown limit. The rudder surface most likely deflected in a direction opposite to that commanded by the pilots as a result of a jam of the main rudder power control unit servo valve secondary slide to the servo valve housing offset from its neutral position and overtravel of the primary slide.
From Wikipedia
USAir Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport, Florida, with a stopover at Pittsburgh International Airport. On Thursday, September 8, 1994, the Boeing 737-300 flying this route crashed in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania while approaching Runway 28R at Pittsburgh, which was USAir's largest hub at the time.
This accident was the second longest air crash investigation in history. The investigation into USAir 427 helped to also solve the crash of United Airlines Flight 585. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause was that the aircraft's rudder malfunctioned and went hard over in a direction opposite to that commanded by the pilots, causing the plane to enter an aerodynamic stall from which Captain Peter Germano and First Officer Charles B. Emmet III were unable to recover. All 132 people on board died, making the accident the deadliest air disaster in Pennsylvania's history.
Text from Wikipedia, “USAir Flight 427”, CC BY-SA 4.0; shortened to the introduction. Authors.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
- Learjet 55, Jan 31, 2025
Browse: Pennsylvania · Boeing aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
