| - | ACCIDENT DETAILS |
| Date: | February 12, 2009 |
| Time: | 2217 |
| Location: | Clarence Center, New York |
| Operator: | Continental Connection/Colgan Air |
| Flight #: | 3407 |
| Route: | Newark, N.J. - Buffalo, NY |
| AC Type: | Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 |
| Registration: | N200WQ |
| cn / ln: | 4200 |
| Aboard: | 49 (passengers:44 crew:5) |
| Fatalities: | 49 (passengers:44 crew:5) |
| Ground: | 1 |
| Summary: | The commuter plane crashed while attemptiong to land in rain and sleet, 6 miles northeast of Buffalo Niagara International Airport, were it was scheduled to land. Preliminary evidence suggests the crew selected the landing gear down and set the flaps 15 degrees. Immediately after selecting the flaps the stick shaker activated. The captain then pulled on the controls, slowing the airplane even further causing the plane to stall. Colgan Air officials acknowledged that both pilots apparently were not paying close attention to the aircraft's instruments and failed to follow the airline's procedures for handling an impending stall in the final minutes of the flight. The captain’s inappropriate response to the activation of the stick shaker, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which the airplane did not recover. Contributing to the accident were (1) the flight crew’s failure to monitor airspeed in relation to the rising position of the low-speed cue, (2) the flight crew’s failure to adhere to sterile cockpit procedures, (3) the captain’s failure to effectively manage the flight, and (4) Colgan Air’s inadequate procedures for airspeed selection and management during approaches in icing conditions. |
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