USAir Flight 5050 - Accident Analysis

Accident Analysis

The NTSB found numerous "crew coordination problems" during its investigation, which had a bearing on the ultimate outcome of Flight 5050:

  • The captain's failure to provide an extended briefing, or an emergency briefing, before the takeoffs at BWI and LGA or at any time during the 9 hours the crewmembers spent together before the accident.
  • The decision of the captain to execute the takeoff at LGA with autobrakes disengaged, on a wet and short runway, contrary to company and manufacturer recommendations.
  • The failure of the crew to detect the improper rudder trim setting in response to the checklists.
  • The failure of the crew to detect the improper rudder trim setting by means of rudder pedal displacement, information during taxiing and holding for takeoff.
  • The failure of the aircraft to hold at taxiway GOLF GOLF during taxiing as directed by ATC (this error, an obvious violation, had no effect on the accident sequence).
  • The failure of the first officer to push the correct button to engage the autothrottles at the beginning of the takeoff roll. He then manually advanced the throttles; the resultant delay and the slightly low thrust set on the left engine lengthened the airplane's ground roll and added to the directional control problem.
  • The failure of the captain, during the takeoff roll, to take control of the aircraft and transfer control back to the first officer in a smooth and professional manner, with the result of confusion as to who was in control. Because of poor communication between the pilots, both attempted to 'maintain directional control initially and neither was fully in control later in the takeoff, compounding directional control difficulties.
  • The failure of the captain to make speed call outs and to consult airspeed before initiating an abort. Computed V1 speed was 125 knots and action by the captain to reject the takeoff began at 130 knots.
  • The failure of the captain to announce the abort decision in standard terminology, with the result of confusion by the first officer as to what action was being taken.
  • The failure of the captain to execute the abort procedure in a rapid and aggressive manner. After initiating the RTO, the captain used differential braking to steer the airplane. This delayed the attainment of effective braking until 5½ seconds after the takeoff was rejected. Braking during the RTO was less than the maximum braking achievable on the wet runway; the airplane could have been stopped on the runway.

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