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 In its November 2, 1973, letter to the FAA, the Safety Board classified Safety Recommendation A-72-19 "Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action." Also, the Board classified Safety Recommendation A-72-35 "Closed--No Longer Applicable" in the same letter.

GPWS Installation for 14 CFR Part 135 Operations (A-86-109)

On August 25, 1985, Bar Harbor Airlines flight 1808, a Beech B99, N300WP, crashed during an ILS approach to Auburn-Lewiston Airport, Auburn, Maine. The airplane struck trees at an elevation of 345 feet msl in a wings-level attitude 4,000 feet from the end of the runway threshold and 440 feet to the right of the extended runway centerline. All eight airplane occupants were killed.

On September 23, 1985, Henson Airlines flight 1517, a Beech B99, N339HA, crashed during an ILS approach to Shenandoah Valley Airport, Weyers Cave, Virginia. The airplane struck trees at an elevation of 2,400 feet msl in a wings-level attitude about 6 miles east of the airport. All 14 airplane occupants were killed.

On March 13, 1986, Simmons Airlines flight 1746, an Embraer EMB-110P1, N1356P, crashed during an ILS approach to Phelps Collins Airport, Alpena, Michigan. The airplane struck trees at an elevation of 725 feet msl in a wings-level attitude about 1 ½ miles from the end of the runway threshold and about 300 feet to the left of the extended runway centerline. Three of the nine airplane occupants were killed, five occupants received serious injuries, and one occupant received minor injuries.

The Safety Board's investigation of these accidents revealed that the accidents occurred while the airplanes were in controlled flight and the flight crews were attempting to complete precision instrument approaches in IMC. None of the flight crews indicated that they were experiencing airplane or equipment problems, and none of the postaccident examinations disclosed airplane or equipment problems that would explain the accidents. As a result of these three accidents, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation A-86-109, which asked the FAA to

Amend 14 CFR Section 135.153 to require after a specified date the installation and use of ground proximity warning devices in all multiengine, turbine-powered fixed-wing airplanes, certificated to carry 10 or more passengers.

On January 8, 1987, the FAA stated that it initiated a proposed regulatory project for the development of an NPRM for a GPWS requirement for 14 CFR Part 135 operators. According to the FAA, the rationale and requirements for the NPRM were finalized and would be presented to the Regulatory Review Board in early 1987. On May 15, 1987, the Safety Board asked for an update on the status of the NPRM.