Louisville

The flight was for the purpose of transporting six Crane officials from Chicago, Illinois, to Louisville, Kentucky, to attend a business convention. Departure was from O'Hare-Chicago International Airport on a VFR flight plan (changed en route to IFR) with the Crane Company's Chief Pilot Randolph A. Mulherin in command, and Robert H. Robinette, also a Crane pilot, as copilot. Gross weight upon departure was estimated to be 27,360 pounds; the maximum permissible takeoff weight was 31,000 pounds. Shortly after takeoff the pilot gave a routine report to Chicago radio of his time off as 0908 and his estimated elapsed flight time as one hour and 20 minutes. He did not request weather information at that time. Other radio contacts followed as the flight progressed, the final one being at 1034 over the Jeffersonville intersection. An approach was then started from that point to the Standiford Airport, 6-9/10 miles distant. During this approach the aircraft struck trees and crashed at a point one-half mile north of the Jeffersonville intersection. The airplane was destroyed and all eight occupants have been killed.

The flight was operating between North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Louisville. It departed North Philadelphia Airport at 1303 on a Visual Flight Rules flight plan. The crew consisted of Captain W. E. Moller, First Officer J. D. Pickel, and Stewardess D. J. Bush. At departure the gross weight of the aircraft was 44,940 pounds (allowable 45,300 pounds), with 775 gallons of fuel aboard. Distribution of the load was within prescribed center of gravity limitations. The trip between North Philadelphia and Louisville was normal and in good weather. In the vicinity of Standiford Airport, the pilot requested landing instructions and was cleared for landing on Runway 24 by the tower. The clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. One of the three controllers on duty observed that the approach appeared normal until the flare-out when the aircraft "ballooned" slightly, power was applied, and about 500 feet farther on entered a steep climb. The aircraft then yawed to the left and climbed with a steadily increasing angle of attack. At this point he noticed that a portion of the left elevator was hanging down and immediately advised the aircraft but received no acknowledgement of his warning. The aircraft continued in a steep climbing left turn until it reached an altitude of about 300 feet, stalled, fell off to the left, and struck the ground on the nose and left wing. The fuselage burst open upon impact. A number of the occupants were thrown free and emergency equipment immediately took survivors to nearby hospitals. Due to the severity of impact and the extent of damage, there was no organized evacuation by the occupants. Sixteen passengers were injured while 25 others occupants, among them all three crew members, were killed.

The aircraft departed Godman AFB in Louisville in the morning, bound for Charleston-Kanawha Airport, where all 21 occupants were flying to take part to funerals of US soldiers who died recently in another plane crash. The approach was completed in poor weather conditions. While descending to Kanawha Airfield at an insufficient height, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 8 miles short of runway 23. A passenger was seriously injured while 20 other occupants were killed. Nine days later, the only survivor died from his injuries. It is reported that the ceiling was down to 150 feet and that several instruments were out of order at the time of the accident.

The aircraft was approaching Newark Airport for landing. The airplane was too far to the right for an approach to runway 06 and the tower controller radioed that he was in line for an approach to runway 28. The approach was then made to runway 28 which is 7,100 feet long with an additional usable 500 feet at the end. The approach was fast, however and contact was not made with the runway until within the last 2,000 feet. The aircraft continued off the runway and ran into a drainage ditch where a fire broke out, which was quickly extinguished.
Source:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19470504-0

The crew was performing a circular training exercise from the Bowman Field Airport in Louisville. En route, the right engine failed. While descending through the clouds, it then exploded and the aircraft dove into the ground before crashing in a field. All three crew members were killed.

On final approach to Louisville-Bowman Airport, the captain decided to attempt a go around for unknown reason. He retracted the landing gear and increased both engine power. The aircraft climbed to a height of 400 feet when it yawed to the left, stalled and crashed onto the tarmac. One crew was seriously injured while all four other crew were killed. The aircraft was destroyed as well as four Aeronca L-3B and three Taylorcraft L-2M.

The crew was performing a flight from Laurinburg-Maxton AFB to Godman AFB located near Louisville, Kentucky. Shortly after take off, while climbing at a height of 300 feet, the pilot saw in front of him another Douglas C-53 towing a glider. To avoid any collision, the captain turn sharply to the left but the evasive action was too strong, so the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in a huge explosion. All 25 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Paul Wideman Arthaud,
Pvt Joseph John Bacon,
Pfc Fred Balkin,
Tec Edith M. Ballenger,
2nd Lt William Howard Brownholtz,
Cpt Roland B. Cooper,
Pfc Howard W. DeTers,
Cpl Betty Walker Driskill,
F/O Charles Gorman Dunckle,
Sgt Leonard James Gougeon,
1st Lt John L. Jones,
1st Lt John Lester Kennedy,
S/Sgt F. R. McIntyre,
Pvt Alvin Leroy Montgomery,
2nd Lt Frank William Nellis,
Cpl Albert Edward Nies,
2nd Lt John F. Reynolds,
Cpt William Holan Roberts,
Cpl Ray O. Roby,
1st Lt Ralph Gerald Roiland,
Pfc Melvin Schoenberg,
2nd Lt J. E. Walsh,
2nd Lt Martha Rosella Webb,
Sgt George L. West,
2nd Lt Robert Gifford White.

Flight 63 originated at and left Cleveland about 5:42 p.m. EET cleared to Memphis on American's Route 22 with intermediate stops scheduled at Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Louisville and Nashville. En route from Dayton to Cincinnati, the trip encountered adverse weather which, together with unreported Army traffic, made it seem advisable to return to Dayton. The situation at Cincinnati improved and after a delay of about 30 to 40 minutes the flight proceeded to Cincinnati end thence to Louisville, where it landed at 9:42 p.m. CWT2/. It was refueled and cleared to take off at 9:54 p.m. to fly at 4000 feet with estimated time of arrival at Nashville of 10:54 p.m. At 9:54 p.m., apparently just before take-off from Louisville, Captain Stiller requested Louisville to advise Nashville that he wanted to change his flight plan to proceed to Smiths Grove, Kentucky at 2500 feet. and continue to Nashville at 2000 feet. This change was subsequently approved by Nashville and relayed to the flight by Smiths Grove Airways Communications Station. (Smiths Grove is located on American Route 22, approximately 69 miles in a northeasterly direction from Nashville.) At approximately 10:22 p.m. when the flights about 15 miles northeast of Smiths Grove the following radio contact was made with the airways communication station at Smiths Grove: "Route 22, trip 63 over Smiths Grove at 10 29 p.m. at 2500 feet." Although static interference made radio telephone communication impossible between the flight and American stations at Nashville or Louisville, this report as relayed to Nashville and Louisville via interphone by the Smiths Grove radio operator. At 10:28 p.m. the flight advised the Smiths Grove Station by radio of the presence of an aircraft approximately 3 miles south of Smiths Grove, flying at about 5000 feet. The station operator informed the flight that he -was aware of its presence and that it was an Army plane practicing on the Smiths Grove range. Acknowledgement of this information was the last message received from the flight. Shortly thereafter, when Flight 63 failed to report, there followed an intensive radio search by at least twenty radio communication stations. At about 1:00 a.m. July 29, the police at Trammel notified American at Nashville of the crash of Flight 63 at Trammel. (Trammel is on American Route 22, about 21 miles southeast of Smiths Grove.). Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence whatsoever which would indicate any mechanical or structural failure of the aircraft in flight. Examination of both engines revealed that they were functioning normally at the time of impact. There was adequate fuel aboard. Inspection of the propellers disclosed settings of 23 1/2 degree on the left propeller and 24 degree on the right. It appears probable that these settings were indicative of the settings immediately prior to impact. The wreckage was found on the airway less than 2 miles from the "on course" signal of the Smiths Grove Radio Range. The rolling terrain of the locale varies from 695 to 720 feet above sea level. Examination of the wreckage and of marks and cuts on the ground and trees revealed that the aircraft, while level laterally and descending about 11 degree from horizontal, initially struck and cut a path through a small grove of trees, 35 feet in depth about 16 feet above the ground. It struck the ground approximately 85 feet beyond the point of first contact with the trees, continued on an almost straight course (221 degree) through another small clump of trees, then across an open field and stopped in an upright position among several larger trees, about 1000 feet beyond the point of first impact. Just prior to coming to rest, the right wing was sheared from the fuselage by impact with a large tree and it was found approximately 25 feet behind the fuselage.
Crew:
Harry A. Stiller, pilot,
B. A. Carpenter, pilot,
Robert M. McClure, copilot,
Josephine Kane, stewardess.

After take off from Louisville Airport, while climbing, the aircraft (a CW-27 model) went out of control and crashed in a field located in Okolona, southeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. They were performing a test flight when the tail detached, causing the aircraft to crash.

The twin engine airplane departed Louisville on a flight to Pittsburgh, carrying vie crew members. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor. The crew apparently got lost when the airplane impacted the slope of a hill and disintegrated on impact. All five occupants were killed.