Detroit-City (Coleman A. Young)

The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain and objects after traveling off the end of the runway during a main wheels up landing. The captain reported that prior to takeoff, he closed the cargo door and the copilot confirmed the door light was out. After takeoff at an altitude of about 600 feet, the cockpit door popped open and the crew noticed the cargo door was open. The captain elected to return to land. The captain reported he requested repeatedly for gear and flaps extension, but the copilot was late in doing so and it "caused us to overshoot the runway centerline." The copilot then began calling for a go around/missed approach at which time he raised the gear and the retracted some of the flaps. The copilot reported the captain continued to descend toward the runway and overshot the runway centerline to the right. The copilot reported that at this time he lowered the gear. The nose gear extended prior to touchdown, however the main gear did not. The airplane touched down approximately 1/2 way down the runway and traveled off the end. A witness reported noticing that the exterior door latch was not down as the airplane taxied to the runway.

A lineman noted parking brake (p/b) was set before flight. Pilots began takeoff on 5,147 feet runway with 10 knots crosswind. A witness said aircraft rotated for takeoff about 4,500 feet down runway and lifted off about 50 feet later. Reportedly, it remained low and slow (20-60 feet agl) after lift-off, then banked (rocked) left and right in nose high attitude, settled, hit trees and crashed abt 200 feet beyond runway. One person said aircraft went out of control before impact; another said it was 'in or on the edge of stalled flight.' Examination showed rotational damage occurred in both engines during impact. The braking systems had evidence that p/b control valve was partially on; brake torque tube contained heat blueing. On this early model (Learjet 23/sn: 23-45a), p/b had to be released by depressing brake pedals first; pilot handbook did not address this. On later models (sn: 23-050 and up), p/b needed only to be moved 'off.' Investigations showed left seat pilot had training in later models (Learjet 24/25); but only a biennial flight review was noted in the model 23. Company dispatcher said no training would have been performed on accident flight (with passenger aboard). Aircraft was about 430 lbs over max weight limit. All three occupants were killed.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Tampa to Detroit on behalf of the Detroit City Police. After landing on runway 15 at Coleman A. Young Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The flight was an air taxi cargo flight carrying truck parts. After takeoff, the tower asked the pilot if he was in difficulty and the pilot replied 'roger' and requested a change of flight plan. The aircraft was seen flying erratically just above the tree tops. The aircraft descended almost vertically into a residential area. The rear of one home was ignited by the impact and 2 occupants of the house were fatally burned. Post accident investigation revealed no engine malfunction but there were discrepancies in the load manifest and the aircraft weight and balance. Before takeoff a company employee watched the pilot secure the cargo with ropes nets and clips but did not help because he 'didn't know what the pilot was doing. 'Impact' damage precluded determination of the original placement and security of the cargo and any possible shifting prior to impact. The net weight on the cargo manifest did not include the weight of the trays to hold the parts. This was an omission of 150 lbs. Company personnel said no weight and balance information was left with them when the aircraft departed.

After takeoff from Detroit-City Airport, the twin engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck power cables, stalled and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

During the takeoff roll at Detroit-City-Coleman A. Young Airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control, slid on the ground, overran and came to rest in flames. The pilot escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed.

Due to snow conditions the flight was delayed at Dunkirk for several hours. During this time the crew obtained weather information and had the aircraft serviced with 230 gallons of fuel. Two known attempts to take off from Dunkirk were made, at 0215, and at 0405 but these were discontinued after a short take-off run because of the accumulation of snow on the aircraft. This snow had accumulated during the time the aircraft was on the ground. A special weather forecast requested from New York and delivered to the crew at 0355, predicted that between Dunkirk and Detroit ceilings would be 3,000 to 4,000 feet MSL, visibility seven miles or more, and that there would be icing in the clouds. At 0808, Captain Dede filed with Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control an IFR flight plan which described a route to Detroit by way of Clear Creek, Canada, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, with Cleveland, Ohio, being designated as the alternate airport. Twenty-nine minutes later, at 0837, the flight took off from Dunkirk. There was sufficient fuel aboard to fly three hours and 40 minutes, and the computed elapsed time to Detroit was one hour and 50 minutes. At this time the total gross weight of the aircraft was 27,050 pounds which was 150 pounds above the allowable limit. Routine progress reports were mad, by the flight when over Clear Creek and Windsor, Canada, and at 0954, Detroit Air Route Traffic Control cleared the flight to contact Detroit City Airport Approach Control Instructions were given the flight by Approach Control and Runway 25 was designated as the runway in use. The flight was also advised that the visibility, restricted by snow showers and smoke, was one mile, and that the surface wind was 15 miles per hour from the southwest. The Detroit City Airport tower controller first observed the aircraft one mile east southeast of the airport with its landing gear down, flying on an approximate heading of 300 degrees and at an altitude estimated to be 700 feet above the ground. When the flight was almost over the field, it requested permission to make a left circle of the air port before landing. Clearance to do this was granted and again the flight was instructed to land on Runway 25. The flight passed directly over the airport, turned left and then flew on an easterly heading until it was approximately three quarters of a mile east of the approach end of the runway. Here it was seen to make a steep left turn and change direction approximately 180 degrees. Although the aircraft straightened out from this turn, it continued to lose altitude until it struck the chimney of a house in a residential district of Detroit approximately 3,200 feet east of the airport. The aircraft then struck and demolished a second house approximately 45 feet west of the first house. Fire developed which partially destroyed the aircraft. Both pilots and one person on the ground were killed.

On May 3, 1936, at approximately 0650LT, at Detroit, Michigan, a privately owned airplane was involved in an accident resultant death to one passenger, serious injury to another, and minor injury to the pilot. A third passenger was uninjured, and the aircraft was completely destroyed. The airplane, a Waco Model UIC, bore Federal licence number NC13420. The pilot was unlicensed. He had formerly held a Federal Transport pilot's licence, which expired on December 31, 1933. Returning from a cross-country flight to Louisville, Kentucky, the pilot landed at the Wayne County Airport to inquire about weather conditions at Detroit City Airport. He took off again a few minutes later to fly to the latter airport, which is but a short flight from the former. While circling the field at an altitude of about 200 feet preparatory to landing, the engine suddenly stopped. The pilot decided that he could not reach the airport and attempted to land downwind in some vacant lots. He overshot these badly and rather than risk striking houses, guided the nose of the airplane between two trees at the end of the vacant lots. The trees were struck while the airplane was still about 10 feet in the air, tearing off the wings and empennage. The engine and fuselage continued on about 25 feet before striking the ground, the slid along for about 20 feet more. The two passengers in the rear seat, who were under a single safety belt, were thrown forward from under the belt by the impact, causing fatal injury to one and serious injury to the other. Careful examination of the wreckage disclosed that the Lunkenheimer gasoline drain was in the drain position. This valve is located in such a manner that it is only about an inch from the left rudder pedal and a large movement of the rudder pedals, while taxying, could probably cause the valve to be accidentally opened. As the pilot states that he did not use this drain at any time during the trip, it is probable that while taxying at the Wayne County Airport, the valve was accidentally kicked open, allowing the gasoline to drain away, the supply being exhausted while preparing to land at the Detroit City Airport, thus causing the sudden engine stoppage. A check of the entire flight discloses that the pilot had put in approximately 8 hours of night flying just previous to the accident, and was probably greatly fatigued. This would had an effect on his judgment of speed and distance on the forced landing, in which he erred considerably.
Crew:
James H. Baughn, pilot.
Passengers:
Sadie Rowley, †
Joseph M. Charlton,
Morrell D. Banker.