Air Safety

April 4, 1977, a Southern Airways DC9 flies through a severe thunderstorm over Georgia. In the ensuing minutes the flight crew lose both engines due to massive ingestion of water and ice, their cockpit screen is shattered by hail and the aircraft is struck by lightning. The captain valiantly attempts a forced landing on a highway only to have a wing tip graze a tree resulting in the DC9 rolling uncontrolled into a petrol station and a group of shops. Now read on . . . (Our thanks to the US National Transporation Safety Board for the transcripts of the official investigation into this accident. )

Synopsis

At about 1619 EST on April 4, 1977, a Southern Airways Inc. DC-9, operating as Southern Flight 242, crashed in New Hope, GA. After los­ ing both engines in flight, Flight 242 attempted an emergency landing on State Spur Highway 92, which bisected New Hope. Of the 85 per­ sons aboard Flight 242, 62 were killed, 22 were seriously injured, and one was slightly injured. One passenger died on June 5, 1977.  additionally, eight persons on the ground were killed and one person was seriously injured; the injured person died about one month after the accident. The aircraft was destroyed.

Flight 242 entered a severe thunderstorm during flight between 17,000ft and 14,000ft near Rome, GA, while en route from Huntsville, Ala, to Atlanta, GA. Both engines were damaged and all thrust was lost. The engines could not be restarted, and the flight crew was forc­ ed to make an emergency landing.

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