Cheyenne

The airplane was en route to an air show and was making a refueling stop. The tower controller cleared the pilot to land. The airplane was observed on a 3-mile straight-in final approach when it began a left turn. The controller asked the pilot what his intentions were. The pilot replied, "We just lost our left engine." The pilot then reported that he wasn't going to make it to the airport. Witnesses observed the airplane flying "low to the ground and under-speed for [a] good 4 minutes." The right propeller was turning, but the left propeller was not turning. There was no fire or smoke coming from the left engine. The pilot was "obviously trying to pull up." The airplane "dipped hard left," then struck the ground left wing first. It slid through a chain link fence, struck a parked automobile, and collided with a school bus wash barn. The ensuing fire destroyed the airplane, parked car, and wash barn. Disassembly and examination of both engines disclosed no anomalies that would have been causal or contributory to the accident. According to the Airplane Flight Manual, "Maximum power will probably be required to maintain flight with one engine inoperative. Maximum power at slow air speed may cause loss of directional control."

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported he had 'a problem...an overboost situation,' and wanted to return for landing. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, so the pilot was cleared for the ILS runway 26 approach. A witness saw the airplane emerge from the low overcast in a wings level descent, then pitch over to a near vertical attitude and impact a shopping center sign. The left turbocharger wastegate was found in the open (low boost) position, and the right turbocharger wastegate was found in the closed (high boost) position. The right turbocharger butterfly valve was severely eroded, the pin was missing, and the valve was free to rotate on the shaft. A hole was burnt through the right engine number 1 cylinder exhaust valve. Both propellers were in the low pitch-high rpm range. Both engines and turbochargers were original equipment and had not been overhauled in 21 years. A toxicology test showed 0.564 mcg/ml of sertraline (antidepressant) in the pilot's blood. Sertraline was not approved for use while flying an aircraft.

The aircraft departed the airport in IFR conditions (snowing) and was observed staggering into the air. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft struck power lines and crashed into homes in a residential area. Investigation revealed that the aircraft had accumulated ice and in addition was over certified max gross weight. There was no evidence of airframe, flight control or engine failure/malfunction prior to impact with the power lines.

Few minutes after takeoff from Denver-Stapleton Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 12,000 feet, the crew reported hydraulic problems and was cleared to return. Shortly later, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located 10 miles northeast of Stapleton Airport. A passenger was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a cargo flight from Riverton to Denver with an intermediate stop in Cheyenne. After touchdown on a wet/slushy runway, the pilot realized it was difficult to decelerate properly and decided to make a go-around. This decision was taken too late so the airplane departed far down the runway. After liftoff, the twin engine airplane struck an electric pole and several trees before crashing in a small lake. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

On final approach to Cheyenne Municipal Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (snow falls) when control was lost. The airplane crashed in flames and exploded few dozen yards from the airfield and was totally destroyed by fire. All five crew members were killed. The aircraft had just carried 15 young cadets to the Air Force Academy.
Crew:
Lt Col Frank L. Trochak,
Maj Fabian Dauzvardis,
Maj James C. Beach,
S/Sgt Paul Huston +1.

The aircraft arrived at Cheyenne, Wyoming at 0038, May 22, on a Civil Air Movement flight (military contract) from New York International Airport. The incoming pilots had no mechanical or radio discrepancies to report. After the aircraft was serviced, Captain Bowen F. Marshall and Copilot Samuel B. Aronson relieved the incoming crew for the purpose of ferrying the aircraft to Chicago, at which point, the pilots were to turn it over to another crew. Both pilots visited the U. S. Weather Bureau Airport Station at Cheyenne for weather briefing; all current weather information through 2330 (including three severe weather warnings) was on file and available to them. The aircraft departed Cheyenne at 0132, on an instrument flight plan to O’Hare Airport, Chicago, via Green Airway 3 and Red Airway 42 at 7,000 feet. Neither passengers nor cargo was carried and the center of gravity was within permissible limits. Routine position reports were made over Sidney, North Platte, Grand Island, and Omaha, Nebraska. In the last position report, at 0337, the flight reported to Omaha INSAC (Interstate Airways Communication Station) that it was over Omaha at 7,000 feet, estimating over Des Moines at Ohio. Three minutes later, the pilot again contacted Omaha INSAC and requested a change of altitude to 3,000 feet. Air Route Traffic Control, through Omaha INSAC, advised the flight that the 3,000-foot altitude was unavailable until arrival over Des Moines owing to a westbound flight proceeding at 2,600 feet between Des Moines and Omaha, and the request for descent would have to be disapproved. The flight was given the latest weather information between Omaha and Chicago, and the Des Moines 0327 weather, and there were no further radio contacts after this. Des Moines tower personnel received a telephone call at 0517 notifying them of the crash. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

American Air Transport, Inc., an irregular air carrier, was operating this flight as a ferry operation from Columbia. South Carolina to Seattle, Washington for the purpose of later conducting a Civil Air Movement of military personnel from Seattle. Captain John W. Schroeder and First Officer James P. Gilbert flew the aircraft from Columbia to Cheyenne, Wyoming, departing Columbia at 1305 EST, April 22, 1953, and arriving at Cheyenne at 1835 MST of the same date. The flight from Columbia to Cheyenne was completed without incident. A second crew, Captain Maurice A. Booska, Chief Pilot of the company, and First Officer Donald F. Dwelley, rode as passengers to Cheyenne, at which point they relieved Schroeder and Gilbert, who continued with the flight as passengers. The aircraft was serviced at Cheyenne, making the total fuel load 1,200 gallons of 100-octane gasoline. Captain Booska received a weather briefing at the U. S. Weather Bureau Airport Station; following this, he filed a VFR flight plan to Boise, Idaho via Airways Green 3 and Red 1. Departing from Cheyenne at 2043 MST (delayed owing to repair of the left navigation light), the flight proceeded uneventfully. The pilot made position reports over Rawlins and Rock Springs. Wyoming; Malad City and Burley, Idaho; and three minutes east of Boise at 2252. In all position reports except Rock Springs and Malad City (where no altitude was given) the flight altitude was reported as 12,000 feet. Upon request from the flight, Boise radio furnished the Boeing Field-Seattle forecast and the 2228 en route weather between Boise and Seattle. The pilot then filed an IFR flight plan to destination, and the following clearance was transmitted by Boise radio at 2254: "ATC CLEARS N1693M TO THE SEATTLE RANGE VIA RED 1, BLUE 32 BLUE 12, GREEN 2. MAINTAIN 12,000 FEET." The clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. Later position reports indicated that the flight was at 12,000 feet when over Baker. Oregon at 2331 and Pendleton, Oregon at 2353. Near Yakima, Washington the flight was cleared for descent to 10,000 feet and upon reporting over Yakima at 0026, it was further cleared to descend to and maintain 8,000 feet. Ellensburg, Washington radio received a position report at 0037 that the flight passed over Ellensburg 2 at 0034, 8,000 feet. IFR. Ellensburg radio transmitted the Boeing Field 2330 weather to the flight at 0040; the pilot acknowledged and advised that he would contact Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center on 120.3 megacycles when over Easton, Washington. The pilot contacted Seattle Center at 0047 and reported over Easton at 8,000 feet, inbound to Boeing Field. Seattle Center thereupon issued the following clearance: "NECTAR ONE SIX NINE THREE METRO YOU ARE CLEARED TO CROSS HOBART AT 8,000 SEATTLE AT OR ABOVE 4,000 MAINTAIN 4,000 NO DELAY EXPECTED CONTACT SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL OVER HOBART FOR FURTHER CLEARANCE OVER." The controller in the Seattle Center who was handling this flight was at his control board, about four feet from a loud-speaker installed on top of the unit. The read-back of the clearance by the pilot of N1693M seemed to the controller to be as follows: "ROGER, CLEARED TO - - - -(distinct pause involving a lapse of three or four seconds) CROSS THERE FOUR THOUSAND OR ABOVE THE RANGE STATION, AH, FOUR THOUSAND, REPORT HOBART TO YOU." A correction. "NEGATIVE REPORT HOBART TO SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL," was then immediately transmitted. The pilot replied, "HOBART TO SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL ROGER." These contacts were made at approximately 0048. There was no record of further transmission from the aircraft. When the pilot failed to report over Hobart, and the flight became overdue at Seattle, controllers in the Seattle Center and Boeing Field tower attempted to contact the flight, but without success. Search and rescue activities were then instituted. The accident scene was found the next day and the two survivors were rescued.

The flight originated at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, with the first stop scheduled at Cheyenne, Wyoming. The crew consisted of Captain Lawrence B. Crawford, First Officer Maxwell F. Perkins and Stewardess Marie Davis. Prior to departure the aircraft was serviced with 738 gallons of fuel and 20 gallons of oil, bringing the total on board to 1,020 gallons of fuel and 60 gallons of oil. Pre-flight inspection was performed by the crew. The gross weight of the aircraft at departure was 45,401 pounds or 401 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight of 45,000 pounds authorized for passenger operations; 3 the distribution of the load on board, however, was within the prescribed center of gravity limitations. Weather briefing of the crew by the United States Weather Bureau at Boeing Field indicated en route weather to be scattered to broken clouds to overcast with the tops estimated at 12,000 feet and a Cheyenne Terminal Forecast of scattered clouds at 15,000 feet, visibility of more than 15 miles. The weather briefing included a forecast of icing conditions in clouds and precipitation above 6,000 feet along the route, with cloud tops ranging from 10,000 to 14,000 feet MSL. An IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan, filed by Captain Crawford and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration Air Route Traffic Control, Seattle, requested a cruising altitude of 13,000 feet to Cheyenne via Airways Green 2, Blue 12, Blue 32, Red 1, and Green 3, with a proposed air speed of 200 mph, estimated elapsed time five hours, with six hours and forty minutes of fuel aboard, alternate airport, Denver, Colorado. The flight departed Boeing Field at 0050 and made the required position reports along the route, with no mention of any irregularities, reporting over Malad City at 13,000 feet, time 0358, and estimating Rock Springs at 0445. There were no further radio contacts with the aircraft. All attempts to contact the flight by CAA radio stations and by other aircraft along and bordering the proposed route were unsuccessful. A widespread search for the missing aircraft was subsequently conducted under the supervision of Air Search and Rescue units of the United States Air Force. The wreckage was found eight miles west of Fish Haven five days later by the pilot of reconnaissance aircraft and all 40 occupants have been killed.

At Las Vegas, Trip 11-8 remained on the ground 35 minutes. During this time, the crew obtained weather forecasts for the trip to Denver and had the aircraft serviced with 370 gallons of fuel. These forecasts indicated that between south-western Utah and Denver there would be broken to overcast clouds with bases and tops ranging from 8,000 to 20,000 feet in altitude, and that below 8,000 feet there would be light rain showers with light snow showers above this level. The flight was cleared under Instrument Flight Rules to cruise at 13,000 feet to Grand Junction, Colorado, 14,000 feet to Eagle, Colorado, and 16,000 feet to the Dupont Intersection, 5 miles north of Denver, with Laramie, Wyoming, designated as the alternate airport The computed elapsed time was three hours and five minutes with sufficient fuel aboard to fly five hours and five minutes. A forecast for Denver, at 1700, when the flight was estimated to arrive, indicated a ceiling of 700 feet with icing in the clouds above 8,000 feet. At Laramie, the chosen alternate airport, a ceiling of 2,000 feet occasionally lowering to 1,000 feet was forecast with light rain showers expected to change to light snow showers after dark. At 1403, the flight departed Las Vegas, and two hours and two minutes later, at 1605, reported over Grand Junction at an altitude of 13,000 feet, climbing to 14,000. At this time the flight received from INSAC (Interstate Airways Communication) at Grand Junction the 1530 weather observations for Grand Junction, Denver, Eagle and Pueblo, Colorado. Denver was reported having a variable ceiling of 600 feet, overcast and lower broken clouds, visibility six miles, light rain and wind from the north-northwest at 12 miles per hour. When over Eagle, at 1637, the flight reported at an altitude of 14,000 feet and climbing to 16,000. Forty-five minutes later, at 1708, over the Dupont Intersection the flight reported to the Denver Tower and was given the Denver weather as ceiling 200 feet and visibility two miles. As the ceiling and visibility were expected to remain that way for several hours and as the company's landing minimums for Denver were ceiling 400 feet and visibility one mile, the crew requested a change of flight plan. Rock Springs, Wyoming, was chosen as the new alternate and permission was requested to land at Laramie, weather permitting. Denver Air Traffic Control approved and cleared the flight to Rock Springs to maintain 14,000 feet. Twenty-five miles south of Laramie, at 1732, Trip 11 called the Cheyenne Tower and asked permission to change course and to proceed direct to Cheyenne. This was approved by Denver ATC and the crew was further advised by the tower that there was a squall line between Laramie and Cheyenne. The Cheyenne weather reported to the flight at that time was ceiling 3,500 feet, overcast, lower broken clouds and visibility 20 miles. At 1740, the flight reported over the Cheyenne range at 14,000 feet and a special Cheyenne weather report was given the crew which showed the ceiling had lowered to 900 feet and that there was light sleet, and a visibility of 12 miles. Proceeding out the east course of the Cheyenne range, the flight notified the tower that it was low on fuel, taking on ice, and having difficulty in maintaining altitude. A few minutes later clearance was given the flight to descend to 8,000 feet on the north course of Cheyenne range. 2 This was acknowledged and seconds later it encountered severe turbulence. At approximately 1750, an unreadable transmission was heard by the tower. There was definite hysteria in the voice making this transmission. The tower then called the flight several times but no answer was received. Two minutes later at 1752, the tower received the following transmission "We are O. K and are out of it now." About one-half minute later a noise believed to be caused by a surge of power of the aircraft's engines was heard northwest of the tower. Shortly after this a flash of light was seen about two miles northwest of the airport.