Pittsburgh

Pilot Gordon Whewell Silva and Copilot-Flight Mechanic Lloyd Littleton Cotton, on December 28, prepared N 33366 (hereinafter referred to as N 366) for a nonstop flight from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After a study of the weather data Pilot Silva filed an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan which called for a proposed departure at 0800 c. s. t. for Pittsburgh via Victor Airways 14, 72, and 12, with an estimated elapsed time of tour hours. It also showed fuel for 6:15 hours, an en route altitude of 9,000 feet, destination Pittsburgh, and alternate Wheeling, West Virginia. The flight departed Tulsa at 1810 c. s. t. and routine position reports were made until over Dayton, Ohio, at 1200. Starting with the Dayton position report in which the first mention of icing conditions was made, all of the entries in CAA station logs recording communications with N 366 are transcribed as follows: "N366 over Dayton 1200E 9,000 feet estimate over Columbus 1218E Adamsville (will make next report from Adamsville.) Request lower altitude light to moderate rime icing." This message was delivered at 1203 to the Indianapolis center who replied, "ATC advises unable approve lower altitude." This reply was delivered to N 366 at 1204. At 1221 CAA Columbus recorded the following from N 366, "Over Columbus 1220, 9,000 m. s. l. estimate over Adamsville 33 HLG (will make next report via Wheeling). Destination Pittsburgh requesting 5,000 feet m. s. l." At 1224 the following was transmitted to N 366 by Columbus, "ATC unable to approve 5,000 feet m. s. l. or 7,000 feet m. s. l." At 1227 Columbus received from N 366, "Rime ice request lower altitude an soon as possible." And at 1234 N 366 advised Columbus, "Over Adamsville 1233 9,000 feet m. s. l. Adena 47." The pilot was questioned about the Adena estimate and changed it to "Wheeling" (as next reporting point). Also in this communication he reported, "Difficulty maintaining altitude and airspeed request lower altitude." At 1237 Columbus CAA transmitted, "Clearance to descend and maintain 8,000 m. s. l." and the pilot replied, "Leaving 9,000 m. s. l. at 1237E". All further attempts to communicate with N 366 were unsuccessful. At approximately 1240 witnesses observed the aircraft below the overcast; it was on a westerly heading and was descending although it appeared to be in a normal attitude. Several components were seen to separate from the aircraft before it struck the ground. Both occupants were killed.

Flight 44-2 originated at Miami, Florida, and was scheduled to depart there for Buffalo, New York, via Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 1000, December 29, 1951. Because of a mechanical delay actual takeoff was not made until 1540. The crew consisted of Captain Victor A. Harris, Copilot Hans E. Rutzebeck, and Stewardesses Pearl Moon and Dolores Harvey. On board were 24 passengers for Pittsburgh, four passengers for Buffalo, and three extra crew members who were to fly the return trip to Miami. The flight arrived at Pittsburgh without incident at 2115 and 24 passengers deplaned. At Pittsburgh 29 Miami-hound passengers, including an infant, boarded the aircraft. It was originally planned that these passengers would be picked up on the southbound flight Buffalo to Miami, however, due to the fact that the flight was 5 hours 40 minutes late arriving Pittsburgh, the passengers were enplaned northbound in order that, after servicing, the flight could proceed nonstop Buffalo to Miami. No fuel was added at Pittsburgh and Flight 44-2 departed there for Buffalo at 2147 on a VFR flight plan. The takeoff weight was 40,263 pounds, which was 4 737 pounds less than the aircraft's certificated gross of 45,000 pounds, and the disposable load was properly distributed with respect to the center of gravity. At 2152 the flight called Pittsburgh Tower and reported its time off was 2147, this was the last radio contact. When the flight failed to arrive at Buffalo within a reasonable time after its ETA (2247), a search was initiated. It was not until 1433, December 31, however, chat a report was confirmed to the Sheriff's office, Cattaraugus County, New York, that the aircraft wreckage had been located in a heavily wooded area near Little Valley, New York. A survivor, who had made his way from the wreckage to a farmhouse to obtain help, reported that the crash occurred at 2225 December 29, approximately 38 minutes after the flight departed Pittsburgh.

Crash landed for unknown reason.

Captain De Cicco took over the controls of the aircraft shortly after the flight had passed the Newark fan marker, and started an instrument approach to the Port Columbus Airport. Altitude was reduced to 1,600 feet which was the minimum for that part of the instrument approach to Columbus. However, Captain De Cicco continued his descent below 1,600 feet despite the objections of Mr. Cole. Mr. Cole stated that he immediately engaged himself in a search of the cockpit for an instrument approach chart for Columbus, presumably to show Captain De Cicco that an altitude of 1,600 feet was required until over the Summit Hill fan marker. The descent was continued, and just as the aircraft emerged below the overcast Mr. Cole looked up to see the trees into which the aircraft flew. The first tree struck extended approximately 90 feet above the terrain, the elevation of which was 1,055 feet. The aircraft continued in a straight line, striking a second tree 60 feet away from the first. At this point the right horizontal stabilizer tip and the right elevator were sheared from the empennage A third tree was struck, 265 feet from the first point of contact, and miscellaneous fuselage parts and the right wing were torn from the aircraft. The airplane then made contact with the ground at which time both propellers were broken from the engines. The main body of the wreckage came to rest and burned 1,150 feet from the first point of impact. The pilot was killed, but the co-pilot, although seriously injured has substantially recovered.

The flight had originated the previous morning when the plane took off from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, for a navigational training mission to the east coast. The plane was scheduled to land at Andrews Field (Later known as Andrews Air Force Base) in Washington, D.C., but due to bad weather was diverted to Pittsburgh Airport where it arrived at 1507LT. After refueling, the aircraft proceeded towards Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts, where it was to remain overnight before flying back to Arizona the following day. However, the weather grew worse, and with poor visibility and darkness falling the crew became lost, ending up over Vermont instead of Massachusetts. Shortly after midnight on June 15, the bomber crashed into the southeast side of Hawks Mountain and exploded. All twelve men aboard were killed, and to this day the incident remains the worst aviation accident to ever occur in Vermont.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert G. Fessler, pilot,
2nd Lt Wilfred E. Gassett, copilot,
2nd Lt Ceasare P. Fontana, observer,
M/Sgt D. D. Jack, crew chief,
T/Sgt Paul H. Fetterhoff,
T/Sgt Clayton K. Knight,
S/Sgt Oliver W. Hartwell,
S/Sgt Sylvester S. Machalac,
S/Sgt John J. O’Toole,
Cpl Harry C. Humphrey,
Cpl Robert Clark,
Pfc Robert M. Stewart.
Source:
http://www.newenglandaviationhistory.com/tag/b-29-44-62228/

The flight departed Pittsburgh at 1724 and at 1753, 29 minutes later, reported over the Flintstone Intersection, 88 miles southeast of Pittsburgh at 7,000 feet. At 1754 the flight received a message from Washington Airway Traffic Control clearing it to the Herndon Fan Marker to maintain 7,000 feet until further advised The flight was also instructed that there would be an indefinite delay at Herndon but that approach clearance could be expected no later than 1920, which was approximately one hour and 10 minutes later than its estimated time of arrival Immediately after receiving this message the flight was given the 1730 hourly weather sequence report for Washington After acknowledging receipt of the Washington weather report, Flight 410 instructed the company station at Washington to request from Airway Traffic Control a clearance to approach Washington in accordance with contact flight rules on the right side of the west leg of the Arcola radio range This request was approved by Airway Traffic Control and at 1803 the flight received a message clearing it to the Washington tower to cross the Arcola radio range station at or below 2,500 feet and in accordance with contact flight rules. The flight was advised that if this were not possible it was to hold at 2,500 feet and to inform Airway Traffic Control. Prior to establishing its descent the flight was instructed to report when leaving each 1,000-foot level In accordance with these instructions Flight 410 reported leaving the 7,000-foot level at 1805 and two minutes later another report was received from the flight indicating it was leaving 6,000 feet. The flight reported its position as "south of Martinsburg" at 1808 and immediately thereafter reported that it was leaving 5,000 feet at that time At 1810 another report was received from the flight, leaving 4,000 feet." Three minutes thereafter the flight again reported its progress and indicated it was leaving 3,000 feet. Approximately 6 minutes later the company station at Washington initiated several calls to the flight but, although these transmissions were continued for several hours, no contact was established.

Enroute, the crew was informed several times about weather conditions at destination with low ceiling at 1,000 feet and low visibility, max one mile. While approaching Morgantown at an altitude of 2,100 feet in clouds, the aircraft hit the west slope of Mt Cheat located 7 miles northeast of Morgantown. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Harold Houston Jones, pilot,
William Thomas Repack, copilot,
Marion Grace Adams, hostess.

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.

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.

While on a night cargo flight from Washington DC to Pittsburgh, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with icing. The airplane lost altitude and while attempting an emergency landing, crashed into a knoll. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.