On Tuesday, February 2, 2010, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its findings in the crash of Colgan Air (9L) flight 3407. The aircraft, a Bombardier DHC-8-Q400, registration number N200WQ, operated as Continental Connection code share flight 3407, from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was on an instrument approach to Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BUF) on February 12, 2009 when it crashed into a residence in Clarence Center, New York, about 5 nautical miles northeast of the airport.
The accident resulted in 50 casualties, including the 2 pilots, 2 flight attendants, and 45 passengers aboard the airplane, and one person on the ground. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
CAPTIONS: (ABOVE LEFT) A simulation of the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 is shown to family members of the victims during a National Transportation Safety Board Meeting simulcast in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 (AP Photo/ David Duprey); (BELOW RIGHT TOP) Information about the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 is shown to family members of the victims during a National Transportation Safety Board Meeting simulcast in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 (AP Photo/ David Duprey); (BELOW LEFT) Continental Connection Bombarder Q400 operated by Colgan Air N196WQ at Baltimore-Washington International Airport is similar to the aircraft type which crashed in Buffalo (Photo Credit - Wikipedia - Common Usage); (BELOW RIGHT LOWER) National Transportation Safety Board Chair Debbie Hersman presides over a hearing in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, to discuss the Feb. 12, 2009 crash of Continental Connection flight 3407 near Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Recent articles: Be sure to read expanded coverage on recent news events below.
Lebanon and Cameroon crash similar 
Northwest Airlines disappears
Black box eludes Beirut searchers
Top 10 dirtiest hotels in America
Travolta airlifts supplies to Haiti
Ethiopian Airlines black boxes found
Fast turn by Ethiopian 737 pilot
Boeing and NTSB probe 737 crash
Exit door incident on UA flight
Storms ground Southwest flights
TSA prank and prayers aloft
AA bag embargo hurts Haitian relief
Baggage fees by airlines compared
Flu shots at San Diego Airport
Passengers from hell are chosen
Airport scanners and child porn
Noise matters at San Diego Airport
From Gilligan to bomb threats
Slovak airline bomb foul up
Newark intruder caught on video
Free parking near San Diego Airport
EWR incident + Obama address
TSA delays enforcing REAL ID Act
More full body scanners on the way
2009 aviation year in review
NWA 253 is a reminder of Lockerbie
NTSB determined that the captain of Colgan Air flight 3407 inappropriately responded to the activation of the stick shaker, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which the airplane did not recover. In layman's terms, the captain pulled back on the control yoke, instead of pushing forward, and the aircraft lost lift and went out of control, falling from the sky.
Other contributing causes were listed as crew members’ failure to recognize the position of the low-speed cue on their flight displays, which indicated that the stick shaker was about to activate, their failure to adhere to sterile cockpit procedures, the captain’s failure to effectively manage the flight, and Colgan Air’s inadequate procedures for airspeed selection and management during approaches in icing conditions.
In a telephone interview with NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway on February 4, 2010 at 12:10 p.m. PST, the Airlines/Airport Examiner received additional information, reported below.
Q. How would you define "failure to adhere to sterile cockpit procedures"?
"Any conversations that do not pertain to the operations and functions of the aircraft when it is below 10,000 feet constitute a failure to adhere to sterile cockpit procedures."
Q. Are there particular issues in this accident which the NTSB has seen in other cases?
"Yes, some of the issues of this incident that we've seen before deal with flight crew professionalism, pilot training and fatigue."
Q. What do you hope to gain from these findings?
"Preventing future accidents and saving lives is one of our missions, and hopefully will be applied going forward from this investigation."
Q. Is it usual for a final NTSB accident investigation report to take almost a year?
"Yes, typical investigations take between twelve to eighteen months."
Q. Thank you, Mr. Holloway, for your assistance.
This accident was one in a series of incidents investigated by the NTSB in recent years, including a small plane colliding mid-air with a tourist helicopter over the Hudson River in August 2009 that raised questions of air traffic control vigilance, and the Northwest Airlines Flight 188 incident last October where the airliner overflew its destination airport in Minneapolis because the pilots were distracted by non-flying activities. Both involved air transportation professionals deviating from expected levels of performance.
The complete NTSB report, which includes a listing of 46 findings, and 25 recommendations is available online at this link.
We would like to hear your thoughts. Please leave comments below or by email and subscribe to get future updates.
Comments
I read about this earlier in the day and was looking forward to your coverage.
I had not heard about this and find the entire thing to be very unsettling.
Frankly, this is scary. Does not instill confidence. I have this notion that pilots are incapable of error- it's the only way I can get on a plane. Yet another argument for driving!
The simulation of the final seconds before this crash was awful to see - a horrifying few seconds for passengers. I watched the coverage of this crash all through the night. It was a miracle that only one person on the ground was killed.
I figured the NTSB would blame the pilots for the Buffalo crash.
Great coverage of this air tragedy. It's interesting to hear the causative effects and actions..well done.
Cheers...
Excellent coverage Joel! The part about the flight crew not noticing the low speed cues is a bit scary!
Great read. You really have the most informative pieces on aviation scandals, news coverage and trends. You are a fine example of what all of us should be striving for when we write. Great coverage and interview.
Great coverage, as usual. Pilots should take their jobs very seriously and airlines should search every aspect of their operation.
I live in Buffalo and actually flew in from Florida hours before 3407 did and there were ice conditions outside but nothing special for us here in Buffalo. I have some aviation experience and have followed the investigation of this crash. Some pilots on other forums made good reference to a n.a.s.a. video about tailplane stalls in which the stalled tailplane forces the stick DOWN and to recover the pilot must pull the stick back and reduce power. I originally thought Capt. Renslow interpreted the stick pusher to be a tail stall even though the dash 8 doesn't seem to be to prone to that. He may have thought it was a tail stall and guessed wrong. Like starviego I can't believe he would react to a wing stall by pulling the stick back. Although this is what the N.T.S.B. seems to imply. The N.T.S.B. report also specifically discounts the possibility the pilot interpreted it as a tail stall as posted in line 13 Quote:"It is unlikely that the captain was deliberately attempting to perform
Continued: a tailplane stall recovery." in contradiction they also state in line 38 of the report quote: "The inclusion of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration icing video in Colgan Air’s winter operations training may lead pilots to assume that a tailplane stall might be possible in the Q400, resulting in negative training." Although the pilot was probably aware of possible icing I now believe the probable cause was caused by the auto pilot suddenly disengaging as it tried to maintain altitude at low throtle and a possible dirty airframe,followed almost immediately by the activation of stick shaker,than stick pusher and the pilots immediate reaction of full power which invariably pitched the nose up severly. He must have completely lost S.A. long enough so that his actions doomed the flight. Interestingly The N.T.S.B. report mentions little of the pilots reliance on auto pilot when they were at a point in their flight where he should have been flying with the seat of h
continued: he should have been flying with the seat of his pants.
Concerning comments below by Dean, a resident of Buffalo, NY, I am very grateful to you for your thoughtful comments. Your knowledge of aircraft responses, attitude, and flight principles is impressive. You must also at some point after this event have been thinking, "There but for the grace of providence." With all the technological advances, it seems odd to me that there is no emergency voice articulator that simply prioritizes and announces commands, such as "Push the stick forward", etc., hopefully well in advance of a critical stall. I'm sure it's easier said than implemented. My thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of those that perished. Thank you again for your remarks.
Hi Joel, And thank you for your coverage of this event. Living here we were exposed to all the media coverage through out the event including the N.T.S.B. report. And at no time did any of the local experts who were interviewed on air mention anything about the possible misinterpretation of a tail stall. It seems even the N.T.S.B. discounts the possibility. I find it odd that a pilot of even low time would mishandle the stick as bad as Capt. Renslow did. If you watch the N.T.S.B. recreation of the event at no time did the pilot push the stick down. On the contrary he continued pulling back even after it appeared he had a chance after the initial gyrations to save it. To me its still a mystery. I suppose the auto pilot was a factor, but the N.T.S.B. doesn't seem to think so. It would be nice if any pilots with corresponding experience could post there thoughts here.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!