Last Words CVR's/20 Mar 1969

March 20, 1969 New Orleans, Louisiana Avion Airways Douglas DC-3 N142D Crashed while landing in fog. Failure of the crew to discontinue descent into conditions below minima upon reaching the decision heightrashed on approach to Kanawha County Airport in poor visibility. The aircraft was being operated under VFR when it entered a shallow fog overlying the approach lights. Sixteen of 27 aboard killed.

N142D: Avion Airways

ATC: Air Traffic Control

06.35:33 N142D Uh, New Orleans approach, Douglas one forty two delta out of three point four to three thousand

ATC Douglas one forty two delta New Orleans approach control maintain three thousand proceed direct to the ILS outer compass locator and uh weather is uh sky partially obscured, visibility one sixteenth, fog, and smoke, altimeter three zero zero zero, runway one zero, visual range less than six hundred feet.

06.36:18 ATC Did you get that one four two delta?

N142D Uh roger four two delta we got it uh

N142D Uh approach one four two delta what'd you say you had on the RVR?

ATC Less then six hundred feet

N142D Uh roger, what's your minimums? Twenty four hundred?

ATC That's correct, category two is not authorized uh center line lights are inoperative uh not adequate

06.36:54 N142D Uh roger uh.

06.37:29 N142D Uh approach uh one forty two delta we can see the ground out here uh do you think that's going to improve any shortly?

ATC Since about uh two o'clock this morning it's been getting progressively worse and uh aircraft have been able to see the ground all night however the horizontal visibility is uh as depicted one sixteenth prevailing visibility and DA less than six hundred RVR.

N142D Uh roger uh will we be legal to make a pass and look at it?

ATC I can clear you for an approach uh yes uh you can make the low approach if you'd like

06.38:15 N142D Uh roger well if uh we can get contact with the ground uh will we be legal to land if that six hundred feet?

ATC Four two delta according to the approach plates if you get the runway or approach lights in sight uh correction on that it says uh descent is not authorized well actually what it should say is that uh the approach plate is uh self explanatory if you can see the runway or approach lights affirmative you can land.

06.39:05 N142D Uh roger

06.43:41 N142D Approach control Douglas one four two delta would you give us a vector for an ILS?

ATC Douglas four two delta affirmative, what's your heading right now?

N142D Heading is one nine five.

ATC Douglas four two delta turn right heading two two zero descend and maintain two thousand

N142D You had any aircraft land?

06.43:51 ATC No sir

06.44:00 N142D Are you high intensity strobe lights working?

ATC Affirmative

06.46:47 N142D Approach control one forty two delta you want us to remain three thousand?

ATC Four two delta negative descend and maintain two thousand

N142D Uh roger out of three for two

06.48:05 N142D Four two delta level two thousand

ATC Four two delta say again

N142D Uh level at two thousand

ATC OK, turn left heading one seven zero

N142D Left to one seven zero roger

06.48:55 ATC Four two delta do you have your current uh approach plate with you ILS uh runway one zero? Thirteen February sixty nine?

N142D Uh say again

ATC Do you have your approach plate with you?

N142D Affirmative

ATC OK turn left heading one three zero what are your intentions?

N142D Uh we'll make a low pass and see if we can pick up the lights

ATC Roger turn left heading one three zero proceed inbound on the localizer cleared for ILS approach

06.49:24 N142D Roger

06.49:58 ATC Douglas four two delta three west of outer marker contact Moisant tower one one niner point niner

N142D Roger

06.50:12 N142D Uh Moisant tower, Douglas one four eight one forty two delta

TWR Douglas on ground uh say again

N142D One four two delta

TWR OK Douglas four two delta Moisant tower go ahead

N142D Uh roger we're approaching the outer marker we going to make a low pass see if we can pick up the lights

06.50:44 TWR Roger

06.53:56 N142D Four two delta got the strobe lights in sight

TWR Roger

06.55:46 TWR Four two delta tower

TWR Douglas four two delta Moisant tower