Beech 1900 Airline Disaster, Raleigh Durham, North Carolina
On January 8, 2003, a Beech 1900D commuter airline crashed right after takeoff from the Charlotte International Airport, killing 21 people.
The NTSB investigation revealed the plane was overloaded, and its center of gravity was behind the aft limits. The investigation also revealed that the pilots’ flight controls may not have had full range of control of the aircraft elevators.
The company that employed the mechanics who worked on the flight-control system of the plane hired Mr. Hill to be involved in the investigation of the crash. He reviewed the procedures used by the mechanics to inspect and set the limits of the flight-control systems. This information then was used to evaluate and critique the maintenance methods to certify the accident aircraft.
This matter was resolved, based in part, on Mr. Hill’s investigation.