Lockheed L-188 accident near Chalkhill, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1984
On May 30, 1984 at about 5:44 am local time, a Lockheed L-188, registered N5523, was destroyed in an accident near Chalkhill, Pennsylvania. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 4 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1984 · about 5:44 am local time
- Place
- Chalkhill, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-188
- Registration
- N5523 · no longer on the register · serial 1034
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON ARPT, THE ACFT HAD CLIMBED TO FL 220. ACCORDING TO INFO ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER (VCR), THE CREW EXPERIENCED GYRO PROBLEMS DURING THE CLIMB. THEY SELECTED THE #1 VERTICAL GYRO TO DRIVE BOTH APPROACH HORIZONS (ATTITUDE INDICATORS), SINCE THERE WAS AN INDICATION OF A MALFUNCTION IN THE #2 VERTICAL GYRO SYS. ABOUT 7 MIN AFTER LEVELING AT FL 220, THE FLT WAS CLEARED TO THE DRYER VOR. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THERE WERE INDICATIONS OF CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT WHICH INCLUDED THE STATEMENTS, 'WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE,' 'YOU GOT IT?' & 'NO.' THE ACFT ENTERED A RIGHT DESCENDING SPIRAL; THE INDICATED AIRSPEED INCREASED FROM APRX 205 TO 317 KTS; THEN AN IN-FLT BREAKUP OCCURRED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER AN AREA APRX 2 MI LONG BY 1 MI WIDE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE IN-FLT STRUCTURAL FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DUE TO OVERLOAD, THEN A FIRE IGNITED IN THE RIGHT WING AFTER IT HAD FAILED. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN INDEPENDENT STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,047 hours in all; 7,173 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,668 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 13, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 113,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 501-D13 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Baltimore MD
- Destination: Ypsilanti MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 am from MGW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.