Comair Flight 3272

Comair Flight 3272
Name	Comair Flight 3272
Occurrence type	Accident
Date	January 9, 1997
Summary	Stall and loss of control due to icing and inadequate deicing/anti-icing procedures
Site	Monroe County Airport vicinity, Monroe, Michigan, United States
Aircraft type	Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Operator	Comair
Tail number	N265CA
Origin	Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Stopover	Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Destination	Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Occupants	29
Passengers	26
Fatalities	29

Comair Flight 3272 was a scheduled regional passenger flight operated by Comair that crashed on January 9, 1997, near Monroe, Michigan, killing all 29 people on board. The accident involved an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia turboprop en route from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and prompted significant scrutiny of airline deicing practices, icing certification, and Federal Aviation Administration oversight.

Flight and Flight Crew

The flight departed Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport bound for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport with a crew consisting of a captain, first officer, and flight attendant. The captain had previously flown for carriers including United Airlines-affiliate operations and had experience on the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia type; the first officer had training records tied to Comair and recurrent instruction influenced by standards from Federal Aviation Administration training requirements. Weather briefings referenced conditions from the National Weather Service and information disseminated by Air Traffic Control facilities including the Cincinnati Air Route Traffic Control Center and Detroit TRACON. Dispatch and maintenance functions involved personnel linked to Delta Air Lines corporate oversight due to Comair’s codeshare relationships.

Accident Sequence

After takeoff, the flight climbed into an atmosphere containing supercooled water and experienced airframe ice accumulation consistent with conditions reported at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and nearby surface observations from Monroe County Airport. As the flight proceeded, the crew retracted certain anti-icing protections and adjusted power settings while descending toward Detroit. At cruise and during descent the crew reported and encountered changes in airspeed and attitude; the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and departed controlled flight, followed by an uncontrolled descent that culminated in impact with terrain near Monroe, Michigan. Emergency response units from Monroe County, Michigan and mutual aid from Michigan State Police and local fire departments attended the scene. Wreckage distribution and impact signatures indicated a high-energy, nearly vertical impact.

Investigation and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board conducted the formal investigation, collecting flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder evidence along with wreckage mapping and meteorological information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service. Investigators examined the aircraft’s maintenance logs, deicing/anti-ice system configuration manuals from Embraer, and operational procedures issued by Comair and advisories from the Federal Aviation Administration. Laboratory analysis of surfaces revealed rime and glaze ice accretion patterns consistent with icing encounter reports from other operators in the region, including advisory material from Air Line Pilots Association and training scenarios used by Regional Airline Association members. The NTSB reconstructed the final flight path and found aerodynamic stalls initiated at altitudes incompatible with recovery given the aircraft configuration and prevailing meteorological conditions.

Causes and Contributing Factors

The NTSB attributed probable cause to the flight crew’s improper response to icing conditions and inappropriate airspeed and configuration choices that led to an aerodynamic stall. Contributing factors included limitations in the EMB 120’s deicing/anti-ice system design as analyzed with manufacturer Embraer documentation, Comair’s operational guidance, and shortcomings in Federal Aviation Administration certification and surveillance of icing-related procedures. Additional contributing elements identified included training deficiencies documented in Comair records, crew resource management aspects discussed in Air Line Pilots Association recommendations, and systemic oversight gaps involving Delta Air Lines’s role as a codeshare partner. Meteorological contributors involved reports of supercooled large droplet conditions noted by National Weather Service surface observations and pilot reports from other regional flights.

Aftermath and Safety Changes

Following the accident, the NTSB issued safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, Embraer, and regional carriers including Comair that addressed deicing/anti-icing procedures, flightcrew training, and certification standards for operations in icing conditions. Regulatory responses involved revised Airworthiness Directives influenced by Federal Aviation Administration rulemaking processes and updates to the Aircraft Certification Service guidance. Airlines and manufacturers such as Embraer and industry groups including the Air Line Pilots Association and Regional Airline Association implemented enhanced training modules, new operational checklists, and improved pilot decision-making curricula. The accident also prompted research efforts by NASA-funded programs and university laboratories studying supercooled large droplet icing and led to advances in ground deicing fluids and detection systems used at airports like Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Victims and Aircraft

All 29 occupants—26 passengers and three crew members—perished in the crash. The passenger list included individuals traveling for business and personal reasons from communities served by Comair and Delta Air Lines partnerships; next-of-kin notifications involved law enforcement and airline family assistance teams coordinated with Monroe County, Michigan officials. The destroyed airframe, an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia registered N265CA, was examined by investigators and its records incorporated into NTSB public docket materials. The accident remains a reference point in discussions of regional airline safety, icing certification, and regulatory reform involving the Federal Aviation Administration and aircraft manufacturers.

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1997 Category:Airliner accidents and incidents in Michigan Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia