1972 Lake Winnebago mid-air collision

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1972 Lake Winnebago mid-air collision
Accident
Date	June 29, 1972
Summary	Mid-air collision
Site	Over Lake Winnebago, near Fox Crossing, Wisconsin, United States 44°11′00″N 88°23′10″W / 44.18333°N 88.38611°W / 44.18333; -88.38611
Total fatalities	13
Total survivors	0
First aircraft
Type	Convair CV-580
Operator	North Central Airlines
Registration	N90858
Flight origin	Green Bay–Austin Straubel International Airport, United States
Stopover	Winnebago County Airport, United States
Destination	Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, United States
Passengers	2
Crew	3
Fatalities	5
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
Type	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator	Air Wisconsin
Registration	N4043B
Flight origin	O'Hare International Airport, United States
Stopover	Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, United States
Destination	Outagamie County Regional Airport, United States
Passengers	6
Crew	2
Fatalities	8
Survivors	0

On June 29, 1972, North Central Airlines Flight 290 collided in mid-air with Air Wisconsin Flight 671 over Lake Winnebago near Fox Crossing, Wisconsin, in the United States. Both aircraft crashed into the lake, killing all 13 people on board both aircraft.

Flight history

North Central Airlines Flight 290

North Central Airlines Flight 290 was a regularly scheduled flight which usually originated in Houghton, Michigan, and stopped at Ironwood, Michigan, and Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before terminating at Chicago, Illinois. On June 29, 1972, bad weather in northern Michigan necessitated cancellation of the Houghton-Ironwood and Ironwood-Green Bay legs, and the flight originated at Green Bay, using a replacement crew sent from Chicago to Green Bay.

The flight, a Convair CV-580, departed Green Bay at around 10:30 a.m. CDT, proceeding to Oshkosh under visual flight rules (VFR). At 10:36:11 a.m. CDT, the air traffic controller at Oshkosh cleared Flight 290 to land. The flight crew's acknowledgment five seconds later was the last communication with North Central Flight 290.

Air Wisconsin Flight 671

Air Wisconsin Flight 671 was a regularly scheduled flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Appleton, Wisconsin, with a stopover at Sheboygan County Memorial Airport west of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Operating a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, it departed Chicago at 9:28 a.m. CDT on June 29, 1972, bound for Sheboygan under an instrument flight rules (IFR) plan; en route, the flight crew abandoned its IFR plan and completed the first leg of the flight under VFR.

The flight departed Sheboygan 13 minutes late, at 10:23 a.m. CDT, bound for Appleton, operating under VFR. At about 10:30 a.m. CDT, the flight crew contacted the Air Wisconsin office in Appleton, stating that they anticipated arriving at Appleton at 10:44 a.m. CDT. This was the last communication with Air Wisconsin Flight 671.

Collision

30km
20miles

Location of the collision

Operating in bright sunshine beneath a scattered cloud layer, Flights 290 and 671 collided at 10:36:47 a.m. CDT over Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago about six nautical miles (6.9 mi; 11 km) south of Appleton and 2.5 nautical miles (2.9 mi; 4.6 km) east of Neenah, Wisconsin, at an altitude of about 2,500 feet (762 m). The left wing of Flight 671 hit the left wing of Flight 290. The collision resulted in an explosion which tore off most of the Twin Otter's wing, and around a quarter of the CV-580's left wing. The collision left both aircraft uncontrollable resulting in both crashing into Lake Winnebago around two nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) east of Neenah Light.

The National Transportation Safety Board noted that the North Central crew would have had to look toward the sun to see the approaching Air Wisconsin plane and concluded that they took no evasive action. Some eyewitnesses believed that the Air Wisconsin Twin Otter began a turn seconds before the collision, but the NTSB did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that the Air Wisconsin crew took evasive action. The rate of closure during the final five seconds before the collision was 688 ft/s (469 mph; 755 km/h).

Aircraft

The North Central aircraft involved, N50858, had been completed as a Convair CV-340/440 on May 25, 1953; it later was converted to CV-580 standard. The Air Wisconsin Twin Otter had been completed on October 6, 1966. Both aircraft were destroyed by the collision and subsequent water impact. Their wreckage was found on the lake bottom scattered over an area roughly one mile (1.6 km) long by one-half mile (0.8 km) wide.

Casualties

The North Central plane had two passengers and a crew of three (Captain James Cuzzort, First Officer Alton Laabs, and Flight Attendant Frances Rabb) on board, while the Air Wisconsin flight was carrying six passengers and a crew of two (Captain David Jacobs and First Officer Michael Gaffin). All 13 people aboard the two planes died in the collision and subsequent crash, and the NTSB observed that the accident was not survivable.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board released its report on the accident on April 25, 1973. It was "unable to determine why each crew failed to see and avoid the other aircraft," and concluded that the crash resulted from "the failure of both flight crews to detect visually the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action," and stated that it believed "that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the atmospheric conditions and human visual limitations." The NTSB speculated that both flight crews could have been scanning instruments in preparation for descent to their respective destinations at the time of the collision, and this could have reduced their chances of spotting one another. The report also noted that the decision by both flight crews to fly under VFR rather than IFR and the fact that neither captain requested in-flight advisories deprived both aircraft of air traffic control support, and that such support to even one of the aircraft would have ensured sufficient separation to avoid a collision.

The NTSB recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration create a standardized method for training and grading flight crews in visual search techniques and time-sharing between instrument checks and visual searches, and that the FAA expedite the development of anticollision systems.

References

Notes

^ NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
^ NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 6. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
"Witnesses describe June air crash". Milwaukee Journal. September 20, 1972. p. 11-part 1.
Lubenow, Thomas G. (June 30, 1972). "Why did 2 planes collide over lake?". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1-part 1.
^ NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 12. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
^ NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
"Appendix C" (PDF). NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 4. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. pp. 10–12. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
NTSB Accident Report NTSB-AR-73-09 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. April 25, 1973. p. 19. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.

Bibliography

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1972 (1972)
Jan 7 Iberia Flight 602Jan 21 Turkish Airlines DC-9 crashJan 26 JAT Yugoslav Flight 367Feb 22 Lufthansa Flight 649Mar 3 Mohawk Airlines Flight 405Mar 14 Sterling Airways Flight 296Mar 19 EgyptAir Flight 763Apr 18 East African Airways Flight 720May 4 Aeroflot Flight B-608May 5 Alitalia Flight 112May 8 Sabena Flight 571May 16 Svetlogorsk An-24 crashMay 18 Aeroflot Flight 1491May 30 Delta Air Lines Flight 9570Jun 12 American Airlines Flight 96Jun 14 Japan Air Lines Flight 471Jun 15 Cathay Pacific Flight 700ZJun 18 British European Airways Flight 548Jun 24 Prinair Flight 191Jun 29 Lake Winnebago mid-air collisionJul 2 Pan Am Flight 841Jul 5 Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 710Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 841Aug 14 Königs Wusterhausen disasterAug 16 Burma Airways Thandwe crashAug 31 Aeroflot Flight 558Sep 15 Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 130Sep 24 Japan Air Lines Flight 472Sep 24 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accidentOct 1 Aeroflot Flight 1036Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 217Oct 13 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571Oct 27 Air Inter Flight 696YOct 29 Lufthansa Flight 615Oct 30 Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 327Nov 10 Southern Airways Flight 49Nov 15 Ansett Australia Flight 232Nov 28 Japan Air Lines Flight 446Dec 3 Tenerife Spantax Convair CV-990 crashDec 8 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708Dec 8 United Air Lines Flight 553Dec 8 Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631Dec 20 Chicago–O'Hare runway collisionDec 23 Braathens Flight 239Dec 29 Eastern Air Lines Flight 401Dec 31 Puerto Rico DC-7 crash
1971 ◄ ► 1973

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1972 (1972)

Jan 7 Iberia Flight 602Jan 21 Turkish Airlines DC-9 crashJan 26 JAT Yugoslav Flight 367Feb 22 Lufthansa Flight 649Mar 3 Mohawk Airlines Flight 405Mar 14 Sterling Airways Flight 296Mar 19 EgyptAir Flight 763Apr 18 East African Airways Flight 720May 4 Aeroflot Flight B-608May 5 Alitalia Flight 112May 8 Sabena Flight 571May 16 Svetlogorsk An-24 crashMay 18 Aeroflot Flight 1491May 30 Delta Air Lines Flight 9570Jun 12 American Airlines Flight 96Jun 14 Japan Air Lines Flight 471Jun 15 Cathay Pacific Flight 700ZJun 18 British European Airways Flight 548Jun 24 Prinair Flight 191Jun 29 Lake Winnebago mid-air collisionJul 2 Pan Am Flight 841Jul 5 Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 710Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 841Aug 14 Königs Wusterhausen disasterAug 16 Burma Airways Thandwe crashAug 31 Aeroflot Flight 558Sep 15 Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 130Sep 24 Japan Air Lines Flight 472Sep 24 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accidentOct 1 Aeroflot Flight 1036Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 217Oct 13 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571Oct 27 Air Inter Flight 696YOct 29 Lufthansa Flight 615Oct 30 Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 327Nov 10 Southern Airways Flight 49Nov 15 Ansett Australia Flight 232Nov 28 Japan Air Lines Flight 446Dec 3 Tenerife Spantax Convair CV-990 crashDec 8 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708Dec 8 United Air Lines Flight 553Dec 8 Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631Dec 20 Chicago–O'Hare runway collisionDec 23 Braathens Flight 239Dec 29 Eastern Air Lines Flight 401Dec 31 Puerto Rico DC-7 crash

1971 ◄ ► 1973

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States and U.S. territories in the 1970s
1970	Cornfield Bomber (February 1970) Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320 (March 1970) ALM Flight 980 (May 1970)* Trans International Airlines Flight 863 (September 1970) Wichita State University football team plane crash (October 1970) Southern Airways Flight 932 (November 14 1970) Capitol International Airways Flight C2C3/26 (November 27 1970)
1971	B-52C Lake Michigan crash (January 1971) Colorado Aviation Aero Commander 680 crash (May 1971) Hughes Airwest Flight 706 (June 6 1971) Allegheny Airlines Flight 485 (June 7 1971) Pan Am Flight 845 (July 1971) Alaska Airlines Flight 1866 (September 1971) Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 (See D. B. Cooper, November 1971)
1972	Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 (March 1972) Delta Air Lines Flight 9570 (May 1972) American Airlines Flight 96 (June 12 1972) Prinair Flight 191 (June 24 1972)* Lake Winnebago mid-air collision (June 29 1972) Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 710 (July 5 1972) Delta Air Lines Flight 841 (July 31 1972) Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident (September 1972) Southern Airways Flight 49 (November 1972) United Air Lines Flight 553 (December 10 1972) Chicago–O'Hare runway collision (December 20 1972) Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 (December 29 1972) Puerto Rico DC-7 crash (December 31 1972)*
1973	DeKalb–Peachtree Airport Learjet crash (February 1973) Ozark Air Lines Flight 809 (July 23 1973) Delta Air Lines Flight 723 (July 31 1973) TWA Flight 742 (August 1973) World Airways Flight 802 (September 8 1973) Texas International Airlines Flight 655 (September 27 1973) Pan Am Flight 160 (November 3 1973) National Airlines Flight 27 (November 3 1973) Iberia Flight 933 (December 1973)
1974	Commonwealth Commuter Flight 317 (January 6 1974) Pan Am Flight 806 (January 30 1974)* Delta Air Lines Flight 523 (February 1974) Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 (September 1974) TWA Flight 514 (December 1 1974) Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231 (December 1 1974)
1975	Golden West Airlines Flight 261 (Janaury 1975) Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 (June 1975) Wien Air Alaska Flight 99 (August 1975) Overseas National Airways Flight 032 (November 1975)
1976	Alaska Airlines Flight 60 (April 5 1976) American Airlines Flight 625 (April 27 1976)* Air Manila Flight 702 (June 1976) TWA Flight 355 (September 1976)
1977	Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1045 (January 1977) Southern Airways Flight 242 (April 4 1977) Delta Air Lines Flight 1080 (April 12 1977) Encino helicopter crash (August 1977) Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash (October 1977) Air Indiana Flight 216 (December 13 1977) United Airlines Flight 2860 (December 18 1977) Vieques Air Link crash (December 19 1977)*
1978	Continental Airlines Flight 603 (March 1 1978) United Airlines Flight 696 (March 13 1978) National Airlines Flight 193 (May 1978) Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 (September 25 1978) Air Caribbean Flight 309 (September 26 1978)* Rocky Mountain Airways Flight 217 (December 4 1978) TWA Flight 541 (December 21 1978) United Airlines Flight 173 (December 28 1978)
1979	TWA Flight 841 (April 1979) American Airlines Flight 191 (May 25 1979) Downeast Airlines Flight 46 (May 30 1979) Air New England Flight 248 (June 17 1979) American Airlines Flight 293 (June 20 1979) American Airlines Flight 444 (November 1979)
This list is incomplete. An asterisk (*) denotes an incident that took place in a U.S. territory, or in adjacent waters thereof. Flying Tiger Line Flight 45 (July 1970) occurred in the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands. 1960–1969 ◄ 1970–1979 ► 1980–1989

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