Tragedies in Parallel

Concerns about Raytheon Beechcraft 1900 elevator system malfunctioning and maintenance procedures swelled with the Aug. 25 crash of Colgan Air Flight 9446 at Hyannis, Mass.--an accident that disturbingly parallels the Jan. 8 crash of Air Midwest Flight 5481 at Charlotte, N.C.

Both aircraft were Raytheon Beechcraft 1900Ds. Both had elevator system maintenance work completed the day before the accident. Colgan's 1900D had two trim tab actuators and the forward elevator trim cable replaced by an in-house mechanic. Air Midwest's 1900D aircraft had undergone a Detail 6 check, which included an elevator re-rigging.

Both flights took off in clear weather. Both airlines were operating as US Airways Express carriers. In each instance, a problem developed shortly after takeoff. In each case, the crew reported an emergency. In each accident, no one survived. Two people died on Flight 9446; 21 people died on Flight 5481.

Preliminary accident data from the NTSB and FAA indicate Colgan Flight 9446, Reg. No. N240CJ, departed Runway 24 at Hyannis Barnstable Municipal Airport at 3:30 p.m. local time on a repositioning flight to Albany, N.Y. Capt. Scott Knabe and First Officer Steven Dean were the only two people on board.