‘Mayday’ Call Preceded Fatal Westwind Crash
Less than 30 sec before a Westwind 1124A crashed on the VOR/DME-B approach to Taos (N.M.) Municipal Airport on November 8, controllers heard “mayday” four times in quick succession. Both pilots, the only ones aboard, were killed when the twinjet hit terrain after passing the initial approach fix. The accident occurred in day VMC. According to the Safety Board, a witness reported that the airplane was heading west. As it passed overhead, the witness heard the engines power up and power down. The witness further reported that the airplane made a descending left turn until it hit the ground and “a large fire ball erupted.” The aircraft, N61RS, was registered to Abrams Aviation of Auburn, Ala., and operated by Richmor Aviation of Hudson, N.Y. The flight originated from Las Vegas two hours earlier and was on an IFR flight plan destined for Taos to pick up a passenger. The jet’s cockpit voice recorder has been sent to the NTSB in Washington for analysis.
Any guesses as to the cause of this one anyone? Interesting comment made by witness. Fuel starvation? Excessive airspeed decay?
Less than 30 sec before a Westwind 1124A crashed on the VOR/DME-B approach to Taos (N.M.) Municipal Airport on November 8, controllers heard “mayday” four times in quick succession. Both pilots, the only ones aboard, were killed when the twinjet hit terrain after passing the initial approach fix. The accident occurred in day VMC. According to the Safety Board, a witness reported that the airplane was heading west. As it passed overhead, the witness heard the engines power up and power down. The witness further reported that the airplane made a descending left turn until it hit the ground and “a large fire ball erupted.” The aircraft, N61RS, was registered to Abrams Aviation of Auburn, Ala., and operated by Richmor Aviation of Hudson, N.Y. The flight originated from Las Vegas two hours earlier and was on an IFR flight plan destined for Taos to pick up a passenger. The jet’s cockpit voice recorder has been sent to the NTSB in Washington for analysis.
Any guesses as to the cause of this one anyone? Interesting comment made by witness. Fuel starvation? Excessive airspeed decay?
PHP:
As it passed overhead, the witness heard the engines power up and power down. The witness further reported that the airplane made a descending left turn until it hit the ground
