Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-313 in Lovettsville: 25 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 31, 1940 at 1441 LT
Operator:
Registration:
NC21789
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Washington DC – Pittsburgh
MSN:
2388
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
PCA019
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Captain / Total hours on type:
619.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
219
Aircraft flight hours:
565
Circumstances:
Twenty minutes after its departure from Washington DC-Hoover Airport, while cruising in poor weather conditions at an altitude of some 4,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed near Lovettsville. All 25 occupants were killed, among them the Senator of Minnesota Ernest Lundeen.
Crew:
Lowell V. Scoggins, pilot,
J. Paul Moore, copilot,
Margaret Carson, flight attendant,
John B. Staire, Jr, secretary to the District Traffic Manager.
Passengers:
Miss Dorothy Beer,
Mr. E. G. Bowler,
Mr. W. M. Burleson,
Mr. W. B. Chambers,
Miss Mildred Chesser,
Dr. Charles D. C. Cole,
Miss Naomi Colpo,
Mr. A. H. Elliott,
Mr. William Garbose,
Miss Evelyn Goldsmith,
Mrs. Rose Z. Hale,
Mr. Arthur Hollaway,
Mr. H. J. Hofferth,
Mr. D. P. James,
Senator Ernest E. Lundeen,
Mr. M. P. Mahan,
Mr. Adolph Mook,
Mr. Joseph J. Pesci,
Miss Chloe Post,
Mr. E. J. Tarr,
Miss Margaret Tuner.
Crew:
Lowell V. Scoggins, pilot,
J. Paul Moore, copilot,
Margaret Carson, flight attendant,
John B. Staire, Jr, secretary to the District Traffic Manager.
Passengers:
Miss Dorothy Beer,
Mr. E. G. Bowler,
Mr. W. M. Burleson,
Mr. W. B. Chambers,
Miss Mildred Chesser,
Dr. Charles D. C. Cole,
Miss Naomi Colpo,
Mr. A. H. Elliott,
Mr. William Garbose,
Miss Evelyn Goldsmith,
Mrs. Rose Z. Hale,
Mr. Arthur Hollaway,
Mr. H. J. Hofferth,
Mr. D. P. James,
Senator Ernest E. Lundeen,
Mr. M. P. Mahan,
Mr. Adolph Mook,
Mr. Joseph J. Pesci,
Miss Chloe Post,
Mr. E. J. Tarr,
Miss Margaret Tuner.
Probable cause:
Upon the basis of the foregoing findings of probable fact and the exit record in this investigation, CAB finds that the probable cause of the accident was the disabling of the pilots by a severe lightning discharge in the immediate neighborhood of the airplane, with resulting loss of control.
Final Report:
