Beschrijving:
Alpine Air flight 253 departed Honolulu (HNL) at 04:43 carrying about 4,200 pounds of mail on a regularly scheduled flight to Kauai, Lihue (LIH).
It was scheduled to arrive at Lihue at 05:15. The pilot had routine contact with air traffic control, and was advised by the controller to maintain 6,000 feet at 05:01 when the airplane was 11 miles from the destination airport. Two minutes later the flight was cleared for a visual approach to follow a preceding Boeing 737 (Aloha Airlines Flight 917) and advised to switch to the common traffic advisory frequency at the airport. The pilot altered his flight course to the west, most likely for spacing from the airplane ahead, and descended into the water as he began a turn back toward the airport. The majority of the wreckage sank in 4,800 feet of water.
The pilot most likely descended into the ocean because he became spatially disoriented. Although visual meteorological conditions prevailed, no natural horizon and few external visual references were available during the visual approach. This increased the importance of monitoring flight instruments to maintain awareness of the airplane attitude and altitude. The pilot's tasks during the approach, however, included maintaining visual separation from the airplane ahead and lining up with the destination runway. These tasks required visual attention outside the cockpit. These competing tasks probably created shifting visual frames of reference, left the pilot vulnerable to common visual and vestibular illusions, and reduced his awareness of the airplane's attitude, altitude and trajectory.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's spatial disorientation and loss of situational awareness. Contributing to the accident were the dark night and the task requirements of simultaneously monitoring the cockpit instruments and the other airplane."
» NTSB
» FAA
accident date: 14-01-2008
type: Beechcraft 1900C-1
registration: N15674
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Datum: | maandag 14 januari 2008 |
| Tijd: | 05:08 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft 1900C-1 |
| Luchtvaartmaatschappij: | Alpine Aviation |
| Registratie: | N410UB |
| Constructienummer: | UC-70 |
| Bouwjaar: | 1989 |
| Aantal vlieguren: | 19123 |
| Motoren: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65B |
| Bemanning: | slachtoffers: 1 / inzittenden: 1 |
| Passagiers: | slachtoffers: 0 / inzittenden: 0 |
| Totaal: | slachtoffers: 1 / inzittenden: 1 |
| Schade: | Afgeschreven |
| Gevolgen: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Plaats: | 11 km (6.9 mijl) S van Lihue, HI ( Verenigde Staten)
|
| Fase: | Nadering (APR) |
| Soort vlucht: | Vracht |
| Vliegveld van vertrek: | Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), Verenigde Staten |
| Kauai Island/Lihue Airport, HI (LIH/PHLI), Verenigde Staten | |
| Vluchtnummer: | AIP253 |
Alpine Air flight 253 departed Honolulu (HNL) at 04:43 carrying about 4,200 pounds of mail on a regularly scheduled flight to Kauai, Lihue (LIH).
It was scheduled to arrive at Lihue at 05:15. The pilot had routine contact with air traffic control, and was advised by the controller to maintain 6,000 feet at 05:01 when the airplane was 11 miles from the destination airport. Two minutes later the flight was cleared for a visual approach to follow a preceding Boeing 737 (Aloha Airlines Flight 917) and advised to switch to the common traffic advisory frequency at the airport. The pilot altered his flight course to the west, most likely for spacing from the airplane ahead, and descended into the water as he began a turn back toward the airport. The majority of the wreckage sank in 4,800 feet of water.
The pilot most likely descended into the ocean because he became spatially disoriented. Although visual meteorological conditions prevailed, no natural horizon and few external visual references were available during the visual approach. This increased the importance of monitoring flight instruments to maintain awareness of the airplane attitude and altitude. The pilot's tasks during the approach, however, included maintaining visual separation from the airplane ahead and lining up with the destination runway. These tasks required visual attention outside the cockpit. These competing tasks probably created shifting visual frames of reference, left the pilot vulnerable to common visual and vestibular illusions, and reduced his awareness of the airplane's attitude, altitude and trajectory.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's spatial disorientation and loss of situational awareness. Contributing to the accident were the dark night and the task requirements of simultaneously monitoring the cockpit instruments and the other airplane."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Bronnen:
» SKYbrary » NTSB
» FAA
Foto's
accident date: 14-01-2008
type: Beechcraft 1900C-1
registration: N15674
Kaart
Deze kaart geeft het vliegveld van vetrek weer en de geplande bestemming van de vlucht. De lijn tussen de vliegvelden geeft niet de exacte vliegroute weer.
De afstand tussen Honolulu International Airport, HI en Kauai Island/Lihue Airport, HI bedraagt 162 km (102 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
De afstand tussen Honolulu International Airport, HI en Kauai Island/Lihue Airport, HI bedraagt 162 km (102 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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.
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
