National Airlines Flight 193

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**National Airlines Flight 193**
Summary
Date	May 8, 1978
Type	Controlled flight into terrain
Site	Escambia Bay, Florida
Passengers	52
Crew	6
Injuries	11
Fatalities	3
Survivors	55
Aircraft type	Boeing 727-235
Aircraft name	Donna
Operator	National Airlines
Tail number	N4744

National Airlines Flight 193, registration N4744, Donna, was a Boeing 727-235 en route from Miami, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on May 8, 1978. It was scheduled with stops at Melbourne, Tampa, Pensacola and Mobile, Alabama. The accident occurred at night in low visibility from fog. During the descent into Pensacola Regional Airport it impacted Escambia Bay sinking in 12' of water.

The instrument landing system for runway 16 had been out of service since January of that year for runway reconstruction. A non-precision approach to runway 25 was available instead. Prior to initiating the approach a twin engine Beechcraft reported breaking out of the overcast at 450'. The minimum descent altitude for this approach was 480'. This concerned the first officer who informed the captain in his opinion that plane had made an illegal approach. An Eastern Air Lines jet ahead of them reported briefly having the runway in sight before losing it in the clouds and going around.

While established on the approach the first officer neglected to make altitude and approach fix call outs. The ground proximity alarm sounded and the first officer checked his altimeter. He read it as 1,500' and turned off the alarm. The flight data recorder would later show their actual altitude at this point was only 500'. The flight crew may have been distracted by the alarm and failed to realize they passed through the minimum descent altitude. Shortly after this they impacted Escambia Bay. Barge traffic in the area assisted in the evacuation. Three passengers drowned attempting to exit the aircraft. The aircraft was intact after the accident but written off due to extensive sea water corrosion.