Cleveland

The twin engine airplane owned by the American Singer Otis Redding was flying from Cleveland to Madison, carrying Otis Redding's band 'Bar-Kays'. While approaching Madison-Blackhawk Airport, the aircraft went out of control, nosed down and crashed into Lake Monoma. The wreckage was found three miles short of runway and a passenger was rescued while seven other occupants were killed, among them Otis Redding aged 26. The only survivor was Ben Cauley.

The C-46 Commando had been cleared for a runway 03L ILS approach at Detroit in poor weather (sky obscured, visibility 1 mile, light drizzle). During the approach, at 1,5 miles right of the ILS course and 1 mile NE of the Outer Marker, the aircraft suddenly entered a 45° bank left turn. The bank angle exceeded 60° as the plane crossed the localizer course from left to right. The aircraft struck several 84 feet tall trees in an 8° nose down and 30° right bank attitude, struck the ground and disintegrated. In the investigation an incapacitation of the captain was considered, but not supported by postmortem examination.

Few minutes after takeoff from Cincinnati-Greater Cincinnati Airport runway 22, while climbing to a height of 700-900 feet, the pilot-in-command started a turn to the right when the aircraft collided with a DC-3 owned by Castleton Inc. Registered N999B, the aircraft was piloted by a crew of two from Battle Creek to Miami with an intermediate stop at Lexington. It appears that the left wing of the DC-3 hit the right engine of the Martin. Following the collision, both aircraft went into a dive and crashed in a snow covered field and a wooded area located in the suburb of Cincinnati. Both aircraft were completely destroyed upon impact and all 15 occupants on both airplanes were killed.

Flight 129 departed Cleveland, Chic, at 1807, April 28, 1951, for Chicago, Illinois, with stops scheduled at Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana The crew consisted of Captain E K Swallow, First Officer H R Miller, and Stewardess Beverly Fllis, there were eight passengers on board at the time of departure The aircraft weighed 24,180 pounds, which was within the certificated gross weight limit of 25,320 pounds, and the load was properly distributed A flight plan filed by the crew with ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) indicated an IFR (instrument flight rule) flight at a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet with South Bend and Toledo, Ohio, designated as the alternate airports The "Trip Weather Analysis" (a form prepared by the crew before departure) indicated that scattered cumulus and thunderstorms were expected south of the course to Fort Wayne Also, that a squall line extending in a north-south direction was moving eastward across Illinois and Indiana at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour and was expected to be in the vicinity of South bend upon the flight's arrival there. After takeoff, Flight 129 was advised by company radio that it was cleared by ARTC via Green Airway No 3 over Sandusky, Ohio, to the Toledo range, to maintain 3,000 feet and to contact Toledo approach control upon arriving there Flight 129 advised they were going to Fort Wayne and not Toledo Accordingly, ARTC amended the flight's clearance to proceed to Fort Wayne via Green Airway No 3 and Blue Airway No 44 and to maintain 4,000 feet The flight proceeded and a routine company radio report was made when over Sandusky At 1847, the flight reported over Toledo and estimated its arrival Fort Wayne at 1932 At this time, the Fort Wayne 1830 weather sequence report was given the flight which was, "ceiling estimated 25,000 feet, thin Broken clouds, visibility 0 miles, wind southwest 5 miles per hours "Seventeen minutes later at 190', flight 129 called Toledo tower and requested, through APTC permission to cruise at 2,300 feet because of turbulent conditions This was not approved because of other traffic At 1920 the flight reported it was approaching Fort Wayne and was changing to tower frequency The flight reported again when nineteen in less northeast of Bauer Field and was advised at Runway 22 was the runway in use and that the wind was five to ten miles per hour from the southwest At the time this transmission was made there was a moderate amount of station and the flight reported "We are not recanting you very clearly but I think you said, `Straight 11 runway 22' We will call later, closer in ". Because of thunderstorm activity in the area, three other aircraft were requesting instructions to land at approximately the time Flight 129 was making its approach Two of these aircraft landed successfully and the pilot of one, upon request, advisee the tower that the thunderstorm was approximately ten miles west of the airport. At the time the four aircraft were approaching Baer Field, United *** 12 degrees was number four to land in the traffic pattern immediately behind *** World Airlines' Flight 240, a DC-3 aircraft then these latter aircraft were approximately one and two and one-half miles, respectively, from the approach end of Runway 22, the wind at the airport shifted to west-northwest and increased in velocity from 5-10 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour Both flights were advised by the tower of the sudden change of wind direction and increased velocity, and a landing on Runway 27 was suggested, it being more nearly into the wind Upon receiving this message the flights immediately turned to the left to align with this runway. When these aircraft were east of the airport the wind increased to 60-65 miles per hour with gusts to 85 miles per hour and a heavy rainfall began, accompanied by lightning and severe static The flights were quickly advised of the weather change but, due to the sudden decrease in visibility, neither flight was seen again by the tower Flight 129 immediately advised, "United 129 heading east" This was closely followed by a message from TWA's 240, "Pulling out" In order to avoid a possible collision the tower then requested separation altitudes for these aircraft from Chicago ARTC and was advised that Flight 129 was assigned an altitude of 4,000 feet and that Flight 240 was assigned 3,000 feet Both clearances were broadcast from the tower several times without acknowledgment. At 1932 m orange-colored flash was seen to the east-southeast from the tower It was later determined that United's Flight 129 had crashed in a field 2 6 miles east-southeast of the airport TWA's Flight 240 proceeded safely to Toledo. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 11 occupants were killed.

The aircraft departed from the North Philadelphia Airport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 1846, November 4, 1949, for Cleveland. A flight plan was then filed with Philadelphia ATC which specified that the flight proceed from Philadelphia to Allentown according to Visual Flight Rules, and from Allentown to Cleveland according to Instrument Flight Rules at a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet Mansfield, Ohio, was designated as the alternate airport. At the time of takeoff, the aircraft carried 3,000 pounds of fuel and 4,878 pounds of cargo, Total aircraft weight was 24,800 pounds which was within the allowable limit, and the load was so distributed that the aircraft's center of gravity was within the certificated limits. The flight was routine until it reported over Youngstown, Ohio, at 2100, at which time a new flight plan was filed with Cleveland ATC because the Cleveland weather was below the authorized landing minimums and also because freezing rain was forecast at the time of the flight's arrival. The destination was changed to Akron, and Toledo Ohio, was designated as the alternate. At 2114 the flight reported to the Akron-Canton Tower estimating arrival over the Akron Range Station at 2117 at 4,500 feet and the tower issued approach clearance. At 2118 the flight reported over the Akron Range Station Five minutes later, at 2123, the flight reported outbound at 2,500 feet over the outer marker, 4 3 miles south of Runway 36. The tower, at 2128, transmitted to the flight the 2125 Akron-Canton weather as follows. At 2132, the flight reported inbound at 2,500 feet over the outer marker and was cleared to land on Runway 36. This was the last radio contact with the flight Approximately two minutes later the aircraft crashed south of the airport. The wreckage was found 3,250 feet south of the runway 36 threshold and 880 feet east of the center line. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
James R. Harrington, pilot,
John E. Franklin, copilot,
Robert S. Yarano, crew chief.

Flight 521 taxied from its parked position, rolled onto Runway 18, and without pause or hesitation accelerated for take-off. The throttles were advanced. Air speed increased to above 90 miles per hour. Captain Baldwin applied back pressure to the control column, but the "feel" of the controls was "heavy," and the aircraft did not respond. As the aircraft raced toward the boundary of the field, Captain Baldwin decided to discontinue his take-off. About 1,000 feet from the south and of the runway he applied brakes, ordering the co-pilot at the same time to cut the engines. A ground-loop was attempted by heavy application of left brake. The aircraft, however, proceeded to roll straight ahead. Then, in the both brakes locked it continued over the remainder of the runway, crashed through the fence at the airport boundary, and half-bounced, half-flew across the Grand Central Parkway. The aircraft finally came to rest immediately east of the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics, a distance of 800 feet from the end of Runway 18 and 1,700 feet from the point at which brakes were first applied. It was almost immediate enveloped in flames. The captain, another crew member and three passengers were rescued while 43 other occupants were killed.

The aircraft was heard southwest of the airport at 0327 and at this time Cleveland Tower cleared the flight to land on Runway 36-Left. At 0328 the air-craft was observed over the airport at an altitude of between 200 and 400 feet flying In a northeasterly direction. When approximately over the north boundary, the aircraft disappeared from view in what appeared to be a low cloud formation. At this time Cleveland Tower advised the flight that It was cleared to use Runway 36-Left, Runway 36-Right, or Runway 31, at the captain's discretion. The aircraft was next seen re-approaching the airport from the northeast in a right turn, during which turn the landing lights were switched on. In the latter part of the turn, a descent was established and this descent was continued in a northwesterly direction toward the dark, undeveloped area north of the airport. With the exception of the fact that the aircraft was heading toward an area not within the boundary of the airport, its appearance was that of an aircraft in a normal landing approach. When at an altitude of approximately 30 feet, the aircraft banked slightly to the left and, immediately thereafter it struck trees and high tension lines paralleling the north boundary of the airport. The aircraft veered sharply to the right and dived into the ground, coming to rest approximately 550 feet beyond the point of initial contact.

While approaching Hondo AAF, Texas, the weather conditions worsened. Pilots were unable to localize the airport and decided to continue to San Antonio. In low visibility with clouds down to 900 feet, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground in a near vertical attitude and crashed in a prairie located 8 miles south of Sabinal. All eight occupants were killed. The crew was requesting radio compass assistance from San Antonio Ground Control Center when the loss of control occurred.
Crew:
2nd Lt Robert H. Gordon,
Cpt William F. Herbert,
Avc George B. Kirby,
Avc Walter F. Liszka,
Avc Edward A. Mallroy,
Avc Thomas J. Maroney Jr.,
Sgt Alfred F. Roberts,
2nd Lt Harry H. Womack.

The aircraft was on its way from Cleveland, Ohio, to Monroe, Louisiana. En route, due to weather deterioration, the crew decided to divert to Evansville-Dress Airport. During the final approach completed by night and marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft crashed few miles short of runway threshold and was destroyed by impact forces. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Paul D. Jones,
Cpt William V. Litvin,
1st Lt George F. Dennison,
1st Lt Carlton B. Overton Jr.,
2nd Lt Howard D. Baer,
2nd Lt John W. Kerrigan,
2nd Lt Charles W. McLaughlin,
2nd Lt Micharl W. Schaffer,
S/Sgt James P. Taylor,
S/Sgt Arthur A. Vandoli.

The airplane departed New York-LaGuardia Airport on a schedule service to Chicago with intermediate stops in Philadelphia, Allentown, Akron and Cleveland, carrying 13 passengers and a crew of three. While descending to Chicago-Midway Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with clouds and icing. On final approach, at an altitude of 160 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway. All three crew members and seven passengers were killed.
Crew:
Philip Cramer Scott, pilot,
George Sumner Young, copilot,
Florence Little, stewardess.