Date & Time:
Jun 15, 1954 at 0320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Great Lakes Airlines (1950)
Registration:
N30070
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York –Chicago – Kansas City – Burbank
MSN:
35931
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
GLA146
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
79
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
2750
Copilot / Total hours on type:
200
Aircraft flight hours:
21923
Circumstances:
While cruising by night at an altitude of 5,500 feet in good weather conditions, the engine number three caught fire. The crew feathered the propeller and received the permission to divert to Gage municipal Airport for an emergency landing. Following a normal landing, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All 82 occupants were able to evacuate safely while the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was a bearing failure of the No. 3 engine generator causing extreme frictional heat and the release of inflammable fluid which ignited in flight.
Final Report:
N30070.pdf3.22 MB
