1985 — Jan 21, Chartered Galaxy Air Flight 203 Crashes after takeoff, Reno, Nevada– 70
— 70 NationMaster.com, Encyclopedia, List of Notable Accidents and Incidents Com Aircraft
— 70 NTSB. AAR. Galaxy Airlines, Inc…Reno, Nevada, January 21, 1985. 2-4-1986, p. i.
Narrative Information
NTSB: “Synopsis. About 0102:30 Pacific standard time on January 21, 1985, Galaxy Airlines Flight 203, a Lockheed Electra (N5532) charter flight en route to Minneapolis, Minnesota, departed runway 16R of the Reno-Cannon International Airport. Approximately one minute later, the crew requested a turn to a left downwind to return to the airport because of a vibration in the airplane. In accordance with the request, the tower controller cleared the flight to make a left turn to a downwind traffic pattern. The airplane crashed at 0104 into an area 1½ miles from the departure end of runway 16R, and ¾ mile to the right of the extended runway centerline. The impact and subsequent fire killed the crew of six and 64 of the 65 passengers onboard. The airplane was destroyed. The sky was clear and the visibility was 12 miles at the time of the accident.
“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the captain’s failure to control and the copilot’s failure to monitor the flight path and airspeed of the aircraft. This breakdown in crew coordination followed the onset of unexpected vibration shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the failure of ground handlers to properly close an air start access door, which led to the vibration.” (p. 1.)
“Factual Information. History of the Flight….The charter flight had been coordinated as a gambling junket for Galaxy through a broker agent.” (p. 1.) (NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report. Galaxy Airlines, Inc., Lockheed Electra…Reno, Nevada, January 21, 1985. 2-4-1986.)
Sources
National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Galaxy Airlines, Inc., Lockheed Electra-L-I 88C, N5532, Reno, Nevada, January 21, 1985 (NTSB/AAR-86/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, 2-4-1986, 94 pages. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR86-01.pdf
NationMaster.com. Encyclopedia. “List of Notable Accidents and Incidents on Commercial Aircraft.” Accessed 12-15-2008 at: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/List-of-notable-accidents-and-incidents-on-commercial-aircraft