Date: December 1, 1974
Type: Boeing 727-231
Registration: N54328
Operator: Trans World Airlines, Inc.
Where: Berryville, Virginia
Report No. NTSB-AAR-75-16
Report Date: November 26, 1975
Pages: 111

At 1110 e.g.t., December 1. 1974, Trans World Airlines, Inc., Flight 514, 
a Boeing 727-231, N54328, crashed about 25 nautical miles northwest of 
Dulles International Airport, Washington, D. CO The accident occurred 
while the flight was descending for a W R/DME approach to runway 12 at 
Dulles in instrument meteorological conditions. The 92 occupants -- 85 
passengers and 7 crewmembers were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable 
cause of the accident was the crew's decision to descend to 1,800 feet 
before the aircraft had reached the approach segment where that minimum 
altitude applied. The crew's decision to descend was a result of 
inadequacies and lack of clarity in the air traffic control procedures 
which led to a misunderstanding on the part of the pilots and of the 
controllers regarding each other's responsibilities during operations in 
terminal areas under instrument meteorological conditionsO Nevertheless, 
the examination of the plan view of the approach chart should have 
disclosed to the captain that a minimum altitude of 1,800 feet was not a 
safe altitude.

Contributing factors were: (1) The failure of the FAA to take timely 
action to resolve the confusion and misinterpretation of air traffic 
terminology although the Agency had been aware of the problem for several 
years; (2) the issuance of the approach clearance when the flight was 44 
miles from the airport on an unpublished route without clearly defined 
minimum altitudes; and (3) inadequate depiction of altitude restrictions 
on the profile view of the approach chart for the VOR/DME approach to 
runway 12 at Dulles International Airport.

As a result of the accident the Safety Board submitted 14 recommendations 
to the Federal Aviation Administraion.