1969 — Nov 19, Mohawk Air 411 missed approach and return crash, Pilot Knob Mt., NY– 14

–14 Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Mohawk Air Flight 411, 19 Nov 1969.
–14 Kimura. World Commercial Aircraft Accidents 3rd Ed., 1946-1993, V.1. 4-11-1994, p. 3-13
–14 NTSB. AAR. Mohawk Airlines… Near Glen Falls, New York, November 19, 1969.

Narrative Information

National Transportation Safety Board Synopsis:

“Mohawk Airlines, Inc., Flight 411 of November 19, 1969, while en route to Glens Falls, from Albany, New York, crashed about 2020 e.s.t. in mountainous terrain, approximately 9 nautical miles north of the Warren County Airport, Glens Falls, New York….

“The flight overflew Glens Falls at 3,000 feet and proceeded north for about 1 minute and 15 seconds at which time a left turn was initiated prepatory to return to the airport to land on Runway 19. During the last portion of this turn, the aircraft contacted trees on the northwest slope of Pilot Knob Mountain…approximately 1 nautical mile east of Kattskill Bay, New York. It then impacted the face of a rock cliff, after which it dropped approximately 38 feet, became lodged between trees and the side of the mountain, and burned.

“The elevation of the initial impact with the rock face of Pilot Knob Mountain was approximately 1,960 feet. The three crewmembers and 11 passengers received fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.

“The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was that the captain, while conducting an approach, exceeded his clearance limits and, thereafter, flew the aircraft into a sever ‘lee of the mountain downdraft’ at an altitude insufficient for recovery. No evidence was found to explain why this particular approach was attempted.” (NTSB. Mohawk Airlines, p. 1.)

History of the Flight

“Mohawk Airlines Flight 411 (MO-411), a Fairchild-Hiller…N7811M, departed Albany, New York, on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for Warren County Airport, Glens Falls, New York, about 2003 on November 19, 1969….

Conclusions

“…There was heavy rain with strong, gusty winds and low hanging clouds along the eastern shore of Lake George in the vicinity of the accident site.

“The aircraft was seen beneath the clouds during the last minute before impact.

“The aircraft encountered severe turbulence and wind shear when it was approaching the lee side of Pilot Knob Mountain….” (NTSB. Mohawk Airlines… Near Glen Falls, NY, Nov 19, 1969.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Mohawk Airlines Flight 411, 19 Nov 1969. Accessed 3/2/2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19691119-0

Kimura, Chris Y. World Commercial Aircraft Accidents 3rd Edition, 1946-1993, Volume 1: Jet and Turboprop Aircrafts. Livermore, CA: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Risk Assessment and Nuclear Engineering Group. 4-11-1994.

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Mohawk Airlines, Inc. Fairchild Hiller FH-227B, N7818M, Near Glen Falls, New York, November 19, 1969 (File No. 1-0026: NTSB-AAR-70-12). Washington, DC: NTSB, Adopted June 25, 1970, 38 pages. Accessed at: http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR70-12.pdf