Delta Air Lines Flight 516
Encyclopedia
On November 27 1973 Delta Air Lines
Flight 516, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9
(Registration N3323L), took off from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a short haul flight to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport
. Seventy-four passengers and five crew were on board. After nearing Chattanooga, air traffic control told the flight crew of flight 516 to start their approach to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and land on runway 20. The landing gear was lowered and the flaps extended but the flight was hit by heavy rain. Then the aircraft struck the approach lights 1600 feet short of the runway. The aircraft continued, struck dyke 785 feet short of the threshold and skidded for another 1200 feet before coming to rest 250 feet left of the runway centreline. None of the 79 on board were killed but 26 passengers and crew were injured in the accident.
Delta no longer operates jet service to Chattanooga. All flights from Atlanta to Chattanooga are now operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines
and Pinnacle Airlines
doing business as Delta Connection
on a Canadair Reginal Jet.
found that the pilot did not recognize the need to correct an excessive rate of descent after the aircraft had passed decision height. This occurred despite two verbal reports of increasing sink rate by the first officer. The captain disregarded the reports by the first officer, possibly because of the influence of a visual illusion caused by the refraction of light through the heavy rain on the windshield. The excessive rate of descent was initiated by a wind shear condition which extended in the lower levels of the approach path and a glide slope that tended toward the lower signal limit."
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
Flight 516, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
(Registration N3323L), took off from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a short haul flight to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport
-Top Destinations:-Cargo:- Accidents and incidents:On November 27, 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 516, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, crashed short of the runway on approach to the airport...
. Seventy-four passengers and five crew were on board. After nearing Chattanooga, air traffic control told the flight crew of flight 516 to start their approach to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and land on runway 20. The landing gear was lowered and the flaps extended but the flight was hit by heavy rain. Then the aircraft struck the approach lights 1600 feet short of the runway. The aircraft continued, struck dyke 785 feet short of the threshold and skidded for another 1200 feet before coming to rest 250 feet left of the runway centreline. None of the 79 on board were killed but 26 passengers and crew were injured in the accident.
Delta no longer operates jet service to Chattanooga. All flights from Atlanta to Chattanooga are now operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines is an American airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection carrier and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express carrier. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. ASA operates...
and Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline, which is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., and operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines...
doing business as Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
on a Canadair Reginal Jet.
Cause
The National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
found that the pilot did not recognize the need to correct an excessive rate of descent after the aircraft had passed decision height. This occurred despite two verbal reports of increasing sink rate by the first officer. The captain disregarded the reports by the first officer, possibly because of the influence of a visual illusion caused by the refraction of light through the heavy rain on the windshield. The excessive rate of descent was initiated by a wind shear condition which extended in the lower levels of the approach path and a glide slope that tended toward the lower signal limit."