Convair 440 accident near Monclova, Ohio, September 11, 2019
On September 11, 2019 at about 6:39 am local time, a 1957 Convair 440, registered N24DR, was destroyed in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Monclova, Ohio (Toledo Express airport). It was flown under large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s failure to maintain the proper airspeed on final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and impact with trees, and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight crew’s fatigue due to the overnight flight schedule.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2019 · about 6:39 am local time
- Place
- Monclova, Ohio · Toledo Express · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Convair 440 No Series, built 1957 · all 440s on the register
- Registration
- N24DR · no longer on the register · serial 393
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident occurred during the second of a two-leg nonscheduled cargo flight. The initial leg of the flight departed the preceding evening. The pilots landed about 3.5 hours later for fuel and departed on the accident flight an hour after refueling. The flight entered a cruise descent about 39 miles from the destination airport in preparation for approach and landing. The pilots reported to air traffic control that they were executing a wide base and were subsequently cleared for a visual approach and landing. The landing clearance was acknowledged, and no further communications were received. No problems or anomalies were reported during the flight. The airplane was briefly established on final approach before radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 0.5 mile short of the runway and came to rest in a trucking company parking lot. A postimpact fire ensued. Damage to the landing gear indicated that it was extended at the time of impact. The position of the wing flaps could not be determined. Disparities in the propeller blade angles at impact were likely due to the airplane’s encounter with the wooded area and the impact sequence. No evidence of mechanical anomalies related to the airframe, engines, or propellers was observed. A review of air traffic control radar data revealed that the airplane airspeed decayed to about 70 to 75 kts on final approach which was at or below the documented aerodynamic stall speed of the airplane in the landing configuration. Although there was limited information about the flight crew’s schedules, their performance was likely impaired by fatigue resulting from both the total duration of the overnight flights and the approach being conducted in the window of the circadian low. This likely resulted in the flight crew’s failure to maintain airspeed and recognize the impending aerodynamic stall conditions.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › Lack of sleep › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › Circadian rhythms or jetlag › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,287 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,742.4 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 23, 2019; 39.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 49,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney R2800-52W (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney R2800-52W (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NQA Millington TN at 4:14 am
- Destination: TOL Toledo OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 10,599 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 am from TOL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
42 documents, released by the NTSB on August 24, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.
