Special Sub-Topic: The Colgan 3407 Air Disaster Click Here To Play: The Colgan 3407 Air Disaster

What was the route that was operated by Colgan Flight 3407?

Newark NJ to Buffalo NY. The aircraft took off from Newark's Liberty International Airport on February 12, 2009. The aircraft took off Runway 22R and the wheels lifted off at 21:18:56.

What aircraft was used on Flight 3407 on the date of the accident?

Bombardier Dash-8 Q400. This particular aircraft (registered N200WQ) was manufactured and registered in April 2008, and was owned by Colgan Air. This was the first fatal accident involving the Dash-8 Q400.

How many flight attendants were on board Flight 3407?

2. Regulations stipulate that aircraft under 19 seats may operate without a flight attendant. Aircraft over 19 seats must have one flight attendant for every 50 seats or part thereof. As Flight 3407 had 74 seats on board, two flight attendants were on the flight.

What was the official cause of the accident that brought down Flight 3407?

Pilot error. The actions of the crew meant the aircraft was flying at a dangerously slow 131 knots when the stall warning device activated. The aircraft then stalled, pitched and rolled uncontrollably before crashing.

How many ground fatalities were there in the accident?

1. The aircraft crashed into one house, which belonged to a family of three. The mother and daughter escaped with minor injuries but the father was fatally injured.

How long did Flight 3407 taxi for before taking off?

1 hour 2 minutes. Flight 3407 was given clearance to taxi at 8:16pm and took off at 9:18pm, representing one hour and two minutes taxi time. The pilots refered to this during the course of the flight. "Captain: Oh that just, that just stinks ... We can't reap the benefit." The captain was referring to the fact that pilots are not paid the full amount during taxi as opposed to in flight.

In the Cockpit Voice Recorder, what is the only major US airline that First Officer Shaw would work at?

Alaska Airlines. "First Officer: I've got very, very, very good connections at Alaska. Captain: Oh, cool. First Officer: Alaska's the only major I'd want to go to."

Before being a captain for Colgan Air, Captain Renslow had previously flown which other type of commuter airliner?

Saab 340. During cruise and descent, the flight crew spoke to each other about icing conditions present. Captain Renslow talked about flying the Saab out of Phoenix, AZ and the weather differences involved.

Seconds prior to impact, the aircraft's stall warning device was activated. What is this warning known as?

The Stick Shaker. The stall warning device on an airliner is known as the "stick shaker" because it literally shook the pilots' control column. The stick shaker activated due to the captain's failure to monitor the aircraft's airspeed, and allowed it to drop to a dangerously slow 131 knots.

Colgan Flight 3407 was the first fatal plane crash in the United States since the crash of which other regional flight?

Comair Flight 5191. Flight 3407 was the first fatal commercial accident in the USA since the crash of Comair Flight 5191 on 27 August 2006 (operated on behalf of Delta Connection). Both accidents were caused by crew carelessness as a result of distraction in the cockpit.