MBS-Tri-City (Midland, Bay City & Saginaw)

While loading a patient & his personal gear in the aircraft for an air ambulance flight, the aircraft tipped onto its tail. As a result, the tail bumper was forced upward into the belly of the empennage. The pilot refused the offer to have a mechanic look at the damage, and remarked 'this has happened before.' after takeoff, the pilot radioed to the tower that he had a jammed elevator, and was coming around to land. While maneuvering on a base leg, control was lost & the airplane was observed to crash with one wing perpendicular to the ground. Another airplane was in the takeoff position on the runway. The airplane was configured with a hospital litter/stretcher and oxygen bottle on the right side of the cabin. There was no record for the approval for, or installation of, the stretcher. In addition, there was no weight & balance record for the airplane with the stretcher installation. All three occupants were killed.

At 2306, four minutes after takeoff, the flight, pursuant to clearance instructions, reported to Flight tower that it was at 3,600 feet and was departing the Flint outer marker. At this time the tower requested the estimated time of arrive at Tri-City and was advised that it was 2315. Flight 67 was then given the following clearance: "ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) clears Capital 67 to hold north of the Saginaw omni range, one minute pattern, right turn, maintain 3,600 feet. Expect further clearance 2320, change to company frequency for this clearance." This clearance was acknowledged and, as per instructions, the frequency was changed to that of the company at Detroit. At 2310, Capital at Detroit relayed the following clearance to the flight: "ARTC clears Flight 67 for approach at Saginaw (Tri-City) Airport. Report time on the ground to Saginaw radio." These instructions were verified. The flight then called Saginaw ATCS (Air Traffic Communication Station) and was given the local 2300 weather observation and the runway in use, No. 5. The Tri-City Airport does not have a traffic control tower. The 2300 Saginaw weather was reported as: Measured ceiling 900 feet, overcast, visibility 3 miles, light snow showers, temperature 34; dewpoint 33; wind north-northeast 18, peak gusts to 27 knots; altimeter 29.48, comments--drizzle ended and snow showers began at 2225. At 2316 Trip 67 advised Saginaw radio that it was over the airport. A short time later, ground witnesses observed the lights of the aircraft when it was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The aircraft was seen to make a left turn onto base leg and at this time the landing lights of the aircraft were observed to come on. During this portion of the approach the aircraft was flying beneath the overcast, estimated to be 900 feet, and appeared to be descending. When turning on final, Trip 67 flew a short distance beyond the extended centerline of the runway and the turf was seen to steepen for realignment with the runway. Soon after this the aircraft was observed to level off and then to descend steeply and strike the ground. A large fire immediately erupted. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 47 occupants have been killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Midland Airport, Michigan, at 0910LT bound for Boston, carrying four passengers and two pilots. A little more than an hour into the flight, after passing over London, Ontario, the crew encountered difficulties and contacted London Airport and declared an emergency situation. The crew decided to divert to London Airport and reduced his altitude. While flying in poor weather conditions, the airplane passed just over a house (12 feet high) then crashed in flames in an open field. A passenger was able to evacuate the cabin and was slightly injured while five other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed. The main passenger, Willard Dow, President of the Dow Chemical Company, was enroute to Boston to take part to a conference given by Winston Churchill. It appears that the regular crew refused to perform the flight due to extreme poor weather conditions (stormy weather approaching from the east). Thus, Mr. Dow asked a second crew to complete the flight.
Crew:
A. J. Bowie, pilot, †
Fred Clements, copilot. †
Passengers:
Willard Dow, †
Martha Dow, †
Calvin Campbell,
Mrs. Campbell. †

While cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet in poor weather conditions (heavy snow falls), the engine failed. The pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a spin and crashed in a field located one mile northeast of Flint. The plane was wrecked but three pouches of mail were saved. The pilot Clifford William March was uninjured.