Aircraft Accident Report

SUMMARYOn December 22, 1996, at 1810 eastern standard time, a Douglas DC-8-63,N827AX, operated by ABX Air Inc. (Airborne Express) impacted mountainous terrain in thevicinity of Narrows, Virginia, while on a post-modification functional evaluation flight. Thethree flightcrew members and three maintenance/avionics technicians on board were fatallyinjured. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and a postcrash fire. The functionalevaluation flight, which originated from Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, NorthCarolina, was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan and operated under Title 14Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.