ACCIDENT OF EC-CBN (46925/87)
December 17th 1973, time: 15:43 EST
NTSB report / statistics
The DC-10 approached Boston Runway 33L in bad weather (rain, fog, 1.2km visibility). The aircraft struck approachlights 500ft short of the threshold and collided with a dyke. The right maingear was sheared off, the aircraft then skidded and came to a rest 3000ft from the threshold. PROBABLE CAUSE: "Tha captain did not recognize, and may have been unable to recognize, an increased rate of descent in time to arrest it before the aircraft struck the approach light piers. The increased rate of descent was induced by an encounter with a low-level wind shear at a critical point in the landing apporach where he was transitioning from autmatic flight control under instrument flight conditions to manual flight control with visual references. The captain's ability to detect and arrest the increased rate of descent was adversely affected by a lack of information as to the existence of the wind shear and the marginal visual cues available. The minimal DC-10 wheel clearance above the approach lights and the runway threshold afforded by the ILS glide slope made the response time critical and, under the circumstances, produced a situation wherein a pilot's ability to make a safe landing was greatly diminished." (NTSB-AAR-74-14) The DC-10 descended fast due to windshear, which was not noticed by the crew who had just switched off the autopilot and tried to land with visual reference.
Crew: 0 fatalities / 14 on board
Passengers: 0 fatalities / 154 on board
Total: 0 fatalities / 168 on board
Location: Boston-Logan IAP, MA (USA)
Phase: Landing
Nature: Scheduled Passenger
Flight: - Boston-Logan IAP, MA (Flightnumber 933)
Source: Aviation Safety Network / NTSB