Some truly alarming details are emerging in the initial investigation of the crash of a Beech 1900, on Wednesday, January 8th. Initial eyewitness reports of a normal take-off, followed by an "extreme" pitch angle shortly before the aircraft rolled left and impacted the airport grounds, are being corroborated by the data analysis done so far by the NTSB.

NTSB lead investigator, John Goglia, noted this investigation is already targeting a closer look at the horizontal stab and elevator... which received maintenance earlier this week in Huntington, WV. Early FDR readouts suggest that the B-1900 departed the runway and assumed an early pitch angle of 7 degrees, somewhat normal for an aircraft flying with this load. However; by the time the aircraft reached its highest altitude of 1200 feet, the pitch angle had increased to an alarming 52 degrees.

"Something occurred to drive that pitch angle to 52 degrees," says Goglia (right), "That is abnormal."

The Air Midwest aircraft had an elevator trim tab replaced at a facility in Huntington, WV, and there is evidence to suggest that the aircraft's pitch control has been somewhat erratic ever since (though there have been no reports disclosed, as yet, of such by other crews flying this airplane). NTSB says that FDR data indicates that the elevator had "moved erratically" since then.

Previous maintenance (before that done on Monday) shows no trends related to issues involved in Wednesday's crash:

• 11.11.02 -- there was a report of an engine leaking fuel from a drain. A fuel pump was replaced in what was called "a routine component failure."
• 09.20.02 -- the cargo door light came on as the plane was flying to New Orleans. There was no further incident.
• 05.16.02 -- the plane landed in Pittsburgh after reporting an unsafe nose gear indication. The faulty item was replaced.
• 11.28.00 -- the plane was south of Omaha, Neb., when its right engine lost oil pressure. The crew shut the engine down, and it was replaced after the plane landed.
• 11.21.99 -- the plane returned to the Kansas City, Mo., airport because of an unsafe gear indication. A gear switch was replaced.
• 04.09.98 -- maintenance workers found a small crack on an inboard flap bottom.
• 05.06.97 -- a cockpit light came on indicating an engine problem as the plane was leaving Kansas City, Mo. The plane returned for minor repairs.

**   Report created 1/9/03   Record 3   **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 233YV        Make/Model: B190      Description: 1900 (C-12J)
  Date: 01/08/2003     Time: 1347
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: CHARLOTTE   State: NC   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIR MIDWEST FLIGHT AMW5481ACFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 18R INTO A US AIRWAYS HANGAR, 21 POB WERE FATALLY INJURIED, ACFT WAS DESTROYED, CHARLOTTE, NC
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:  21
                 # Crew:  2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:  19     Fat:  19     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: METAR KCLT 081251Z 22006KT 10SM SCT140 BKN250 03/M07 A2975 RMK A02 SLP028 T0033072
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Take-off      Operation: Air Carrier
  Departed: CHARLOTTE, NC   Dep Date: 01/08/2003   Dep. Time:
  Destination: GREENVILLE, SC  Flt Plan: IFR  Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: LOCAL CONTROL WEST
  Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
  FAA FSDO: CHARLOTTE, NC  (SO33)    Entry date: 01/09/2003

FMI: www.usairways.com, www.mesa-air.com