On July 23, 1973, Ozark Air Lines Flight 809 met a tragic end as it attempted to land at St. Louis International Airport. The crash resulted in the loss of 38 lives out of the 44 people on board. This article delves into the sequence of events that led to this unfortunate accident, highlighting the challenges faced by the crew and the impact of severe weather conditions.
The Flight Path and Weather Conditions
Ozark Air Lines Flight 809 was a regularly scheduled flight from Nashville, Tennessee,
to St. Louis, Missouri, with intermediate stops at Clarksville, Paducah, Cape Girardeau, and Marion. The flight proceeded normally until it approached St. Louis. At 5:32 PM, the aircraft entered an area of thunderstorm cells around the airport. The pilot informed passengers of the impending turbulence, and by 5:42 PM, the controller reported thunderstorms directly in the flight's path.
The weather conditions were severe, with reports of a tornado near Ladue, Missouri, although not confirmed by the Weather Service. Visibility was hazy, and the flight crew reported an inoperative fuel pump. Despite these challenges, the flight continued its approach to St. Louis.
The Crash and Immediate Aftermath
As Flight 809 approached the runway, it descended below the glide slope and crashed two miles short of the runway in a wooded ravine near Normandy, Missouri. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft suddenly ascend to 400 or 500 feet before rapidly descending to 200 feet, followed by a lightning strike. The aircraft performed several evasive maneuvers before crashing into the trees.
The crash resulted in the aircraft breaking into several pieces, with the cockpit area remaining clear of the main wreckage. Four passengers were thrown clear at impact and survived, while the remainder of the fuselage was broken open, leading to fatalities. The captain and first officer survived, with the captain recalling hail hitting the airplane and seeing fire after impact.
Investigation and Findings
The investigation revealed no mechanical defects other than the inoperative fuel pump. The aircraft was found to be in a high nose-up attitude at impact. The approach controller had vectored Flight 809 into Runway 30L, and the crew believed they could land ahead of the storms.
Investigators concluded that a strong downdraft pushed the plane below the glide slope, and the crew's evasive actions were insufficient to prevent the crash. Questions arose about why the controller did not indicate the severity of the storm and why the flight crew did not request a different path to avoid the storm.
