Narrative:Flight 103 took off from Boston runway 33L at 14:08 in bad weather (800 m visibility in snow, fog and moderate to severe icing in precipitation).
The cargo aircraft reached an altitude of 1700 feet after takeoff and started to descend. The aircraft descended into a wooded area and crashed.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Degraded aerodynamic performance beyond the flight capabilities of the aircraft resulting from an accumulation of ice and snow on the airframe before take-off and a further accumulation of ice when the aircraft was flown into moderate to severe icing conditions following take-off.
Contributing were encounters with windshear, downdraughts and turbulence during the climb. The failure of the flight crew to obtain an adequate pre-flight weather briefing and the failure of the National Weather Service to advise the crew of a SIGMET for severe icing conditions were also contributing factors."
Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 1 year | Accident number: | NTSB/AAR-81-3 | Download report: | Final report
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Sources:
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-81-18
» NTSB-AAR-81-3
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 6 Safety Recommendations
Issued: 16-AUG-1979 | To: FAA | A-80-112 |
ADVISE OPERATORS OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD OF AN ACCUMULATION OF WET SNOW ON AIRFOIL SURFACES AFTER DEICING WITH A DILUTED ETHYLENE GLYCOL SOLUTION. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 16-AUG-1979 | To: FAA | A-80-113 |
INITIATE A STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL-BASED DEICING FLUID CONCENTRATIONS AS AN ANTI-ICING AGENT UNDER DIFFERING ICING AND SNOW CONDITIONS. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 16-AUG-1979 | To: FAA | A-80-114 |
PUBLISH AND DISTRIBUTE TO OPERATORS DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DEICING/ANTI-ICING FLUIDS AND GUIDELINES REGARDING THEIR USE. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 03-JUN-1980 | To: FAA | A-80-46 |
INSURE THAT THE ATIS ADVISORIES CONTAIN ALL ESSENTIAL FORECASTED METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING SIGMETS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN TERMINAL AREAS SERVED BY THE ATIS. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Issued: 24-FEB-1981 | To: SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | A-81-17 |
DETERMINE WHICH AGENCIES HAVE JURISDICTION OVER SHIPPERS AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS, AND COORDINATE JOINT EFFORTS WITH THOSE AGENCIES TO PROMULGATE GUIDELINES THAT SPECIFY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SHIPPERS, FREIGHT FORWARDERS, AND AIR CARRIER CERTIFICATE HOLDERS IN DETERMINING UNIT WEIGHTS IN BULK AIR CARGO SHIPMENTS SO AS TO FACILITATE COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT LOAD MANIFEST REQUIREMENTS BY AIR CARRIER CERTIFICATE HOLDERS. (Closed - Unacceptable Action) |
Issued: 24-FEB-1981 | To: FAA | A-81-18 |
PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE THAT UNIT PIECES IN BULK LOAD AIR CARGOES ARE LABELED AS TO ACTUAL WEIGHT. (Closed - Unacceptable Action) |
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Photos
accident date:
16-02-1980type: Bristol 175 Britannia 253
registration: G-BRAC
accident date:
16-02-1980type: Bristol 175 Britannia 253
registration: G-BRAC
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Boston-Logan International Airport, MA to Shannon Airport as the crow flies is 4614 km (2884 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.