page_title: USAir Flight 427
section_title: Crash
hierarchical_section_title: USAir Flight 427 / Crash
caption_attribution_description: English: The crash site of USAir Flight 427, in March 2018.
context_page_description: USAir Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Pittsburgh International Airport, with a final destination of West Palm Beach, Florida. On Thursday, September 8, 1994, the Boeing 737 flying this route crashed while approaching runway 28R of Pittsburgh International Airport, located in Findlay Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, which at the time was the airline's largest hub.
  After the longest investigation in the history of the National Transportation Safety Board, it was determined that the probable cause was that the aircraft's rudder malfunctioned and went hard-over in a direction opposite to that commanded by the pilots, causing the plane to enter an aerodynamic stall from which the pilots were unable to recover. All 132 people on board the aircraft were killed.
context_section_description: During its arrival into Pittsburgh, Flight 427 was sequenced behind Delta Air Lines Flight 1083, a Boeing 727-200. At no time was Flight 427 closer than 4.1 miles to Delta 1083, according to radar data. Flight 427 was on approach at 6,000 feet (1,800 m) altitude, at flaps 1 configuration, and at approximately 190 knots.
  At 19:02:57, the aircraft entered the wake turbulence of the Delta 727 it was sequenced behind, and there were three sudden thumps, clicking sounds, and a louder thump,  after which the 737 began to bank and roll to the left. As the aircraft stalled, Germano exclaimed "Hold on!" numerous times, while Emmett, under physical exertion, said, "Oh shit!" Germano exclaimed, "What the hell is this?"  As air traffic control noticed Flight 427 descending without permission, Germano keyed the mic and stated, "Four-twenty-seven, emergency!" The mic was keyed for the rest of the event, resulting in the following exclamations in the cockpit being heard in the tower at Pittsburgh.  The aircraft continued to roll while pitched nose-down at the ground, at which point against sharply rising G-forces, Germano yelled "Pull!" three consecutive times before screaming, during which Emmett stated "God, no" seconds before impact. Pitched 80ᵒ nose-down and banked 60ᵒ left while traveling at approximately 300 mph (480 km/h), the 737 slammed into the ground and exploded at 19:03:25 in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, near Aliquippa approximately 28 seconds after entering the wake turbulence.
caption: The crash site of USAir Flight 427, on March 10, 2018
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