Portland

Flight 2 was scheduled daily between Seattle, Washington. and New York, New York, with intermediate stops at Portland, Oregon, and Chicago., Illinois. It departed Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 0806 on an IFR flight plan to Portland, Oregon, via Victor Airway 23 to cruise at 6,000 feet. There were 32 passengers arid a crew of six consisting of Captain Robert Reeve Heard, First Officer Gene Paul Johnson, Flight Engineer Carl Vernon Thomsen, Flight Service Attendant David V. Razey, Senior Stewardess Elinor A. Whitacre. and Junior Stewardess Dorothy L. Oetting. Takeoff was made on runway 20 and the flight climbed to an altitude of 1,000 to 1,200 feet. At this time power reduced and the wing flaps which had been set at the normal 25-degree takeoff position, were retracted at an airspeed of 145 knots. Immediately the crew became aware of severe buffeting and a strong tendency of the aircraft to roll to the left. Because the buffeting began almost immediately after the flaps ware retracted, the captain believed that it was due to a split-flap condition, i. e., the wing flaps on one side of the aircraft being retracted while the flaps on the other side remained partially or fully down. Power was reduced momentarily in an attempt to alleviate the buffeting but this was not effective and maximum continuous power was again restored. After being cleared by the Seattle tower for return the captain decided not to turn the aircraft because of control difficulty and advised that he would proceed to McChord Air Force Base at Tacoma. Thereafter, the captain testified the trouble became worse and the aircraft continued to lose altitude. The captain elected to ditch and did so at approximately 0810. Touchdown was on smooth water at an airspeed of approximately 120 knots and there was no abrupt deceleration. Passengers and crew members, except the captain and first officer, left the aircraft through the main cabin door and emergency exits. The captain and first officer, after a passenger count, left the aircraft through cockpit windows and swam to the left and right wings, respectively. The aircraft sank in approximately 15 minutes and by that time all persons on the wings had been supplied with buoyant cushions from the cabin seats. Those who survived were rescued by surface craft from the 42-degree F. water within 30 to 35 minutes from the time of ditching.

After a routine radio ramp check, Flight 629 taxied to runway 08R (80 degrees, right) and at 1844 the flight was in runup position where it was given ATC clearance for the flight to Portland, the first intended landing. The clearance, in part, included compulsory radio reports from the flight upon passing the Denver Omni and when climbing through 18,000 feet to its assigned flight altitude, 21,000 feet. Following takeoff the flight reported its "off time" to the company as 1852 and thereafter reported passing the Denver Omni at 1856. The latter communication was the last from the flight. About 1903 the Denver tower controllers saw two white lights, one brighter than the other, appear in the sky north-northwest of the airport and fall to the ground. Both lights were observed 30-45 seconds and seemed to fall with approximately the same speed. There was then a momentary flash originating at or near the ground which illuminated the base of the clouds, approximately 10,000 feet above. When the controllers observed the lights they initiated action to determine if any aircraft were in distress. Radio calls were made to all aircraft in the Denver area of responsibility and all except flight 629 were accounted for. It was soon learned that the flight had crashed and all 44 occupants had been killed. It was later confirmed that the disintegration of the aircraft in the air was caused by a bomb. Two weeks later, on November 15, investigators confirmed that an explosive device has been placed on board by John Gilbert Graham aged 23 who signed a US$ 37,500 life-insurance for his mother who was on board. Convicted guilty for murder and terrorism, he was sentenced to death penalty and executed on January 11, 1956.

Trip 845/26, a scheduled flight from Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, to Sydney, Australia, departed Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 0815LT for Portland, Oregon, the first intermediate stop. There were 13 passengers and a crew of 8 consisting of Captain H. S. Joslyn, First Officer A. G. Kendrick, a Navigator N. F. Kerwick, Flight Engineer D. R. Fowler, Assistant Flight Engineer S. Bachman, Purser Natalie B. Parker, Stewardess Elizabeth M. Thompson, and Steward J. D. Peppin. The flight to Portland was normal in all respects with arrival at 0910. There the aircraft was serviced and two additional passengers boarded. Only inspections and service were accomplished. The flight left the ramp at 1010 and took off for Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, at 1021 on an IFR clearance. Weather conditions at time of takeoff were VFR. There were 15 passengers and the saw crew of 8. Takeoff gross weight was 139,494 (maximum allowable was 145,800 pounds) and the center of gravity was located within limits. The flight plan was via Newberg and Newport, Oregon, and thence to Honolulu to Cruise at 10,000 feet. Estimated flight time was 11 hours and 3 minutes. The flight reported over Newberg at 1031 at 7,000 feet climbing., reached 10,000 feet at approximately 1039, and reported over Newport at 1048 at cruising altitude. The aircraft was then headed to make good the initial track or 221 degrees . Forty-two minutes after takeoff, severe vibration occurred while cruising era at 10,000 feet under VIM conditions. This lasted for five to eight seconds following which No. 3 engine and propeller tore free and fell from the aircraft. The captain immediately disconnected the autopilot. Severe buffeting ensued, the nose want down and the aircraft swung to the right sharply. At this point, the emergency "Mayday" signal was broadcast on both VHF and HF. Direct return to Portland was authorized by Seattle Air Route Traffic Control. The captain, in the left seat, tried to get the airplane under control. Airspeed was about 220 knots and going higher, so he closed the throttles to keep the airspeed down. He still could not get the nose up; it felt to him as though the elevators were still on automatic pilot. He tried the elevator trim tab and could not turn it. After rapid loss of altitude to about 5,000 feet, the captain directed the first officer to assist him with the controls. Their combined efforts finally brought the nose up very rapidly but the aircraft then went into a steep climb. It turned sharply to the right about 180 degrees and, according to the captain, appeared to be on "the verge of a spin." Level attitude was regained by pushing the yoke forward, and by use of the rudder and aileron trim the turn was stopped. At an airspeed of 150 knots, flaps extended 25 degrees, buffeting decreased immediately, however., the aircraft continued to descend rapidly. Attempts to get rated power were futile and a message was broadcast that ditching was imminent. This message was sent at approximately 1106. The aircraft was then at an altitude of 500-1,000 feet. Ditching was imminent. Cabin attendants, realizing the emergency, assumed their respective stations for ditching. All passengers had been seated in the upper desk of the cabin with seat belts fastened and life jackets donned. The aircraft touched down under near ideal sea conditions with little swall. Contact with the water we severe and the impact dislodged life rafts from their storage bins and some seats were torn loose. The aft portion of the fuselage and empennage broke off at impact. Evacuation was orderly and the three rafts, although dislodged from their stowage receptacles, were launched without undue delay. The lanyards of all three life rafts were temporarily held at the cabin door by crow members. However, when one of the rafts was endangered by sharp metal of the broken fuselage its lanyard was released. Another was released by a crew member who then swam to that raft to right it. The lanyard of the third raft was released for unknown reasons. Consequently the rafts were carried away by the light surface wind. Passengers and crew left by both the main cabin door and escape hatches on both sides of the fuselage over each wing. Some crew members and passengers ware able to swim to and board the rafts. Three of the four fatalities, including the copilot and first engineer, were unable to do so and were lost. Members of the crew and passengers tried in vain to paddle to these persons. One other passenger later died in a raft from awe and shock. The purser, a woman, although suffering from shock swam and towed the only seriously injured passenger to the nearest raft, some 200 feet distant. The time of ditching was determined as 1112 and the position at lat. 43 degrees 48'15" N., long. 125 degrees 12'40" W., approximately 35 miles off the Oregon coast. The U.S.S. Bayfield, en route to Seattle, changed course toward the site and by add of search aircraft reached the life rafts some two hours later.

While flying by night, the four engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a hilly terrain located near the Mt Saint Helens, about 30 miles east of Kelso. All six crew members were killed.

The trip from Boston was routine and at 2112 the flight contacted the Portland tower and received landing instructions as follows "Northeast 812 Able cleared to enter traffic pattern Runway 20. Wind east variable southeast 5. The altimeter 2998. Check on base leg." At 2116 the flight reported turning into final approach and was cleared to land on Runway 20. As the aircraft passed over the approach end of the runway, at an estimated altitude of 20 to 25 feet and an indicated airspeed of 120 mph, the throttles were brought back to what was expected to be the closed position, preparatory to landing. However, due to malfunctioning of the propeller reverse lock mechanism, the throttles were actually brought back beyond the closed position and into the propeller reverse pitch position instead. This unexpected reversal of propeller pitch in flight resulted in an extremely hard landing 237 feet past the approach end of the runway with serious damage to the aircraft structure. The airplane, however, continued along the runway a distance of 1,065 feet from the point of initial impact before it came to rest. Fuel which had been spilled along the runway was ignited by sparks from the damaged aircraft and propellers scraping along the runway surface. The fire became concentrated for a period on the right side adjacent to the right engine and right wing root, but subsequently enveloped the major portion of the aircraft. All passengers were evacuated in an orderly manner through the rear cabin exit door. The captain and first officer made their escape through the left cockpit window after all effective action possible had been taken to control the fire. The airport fire equipment arrived shortly thereafter but was unable to extinguish the fire before the aircraft had been damaged beyond economical repair. Five people were slightly injured while all other occupants were unhurt.

The crew was completing a flight from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. While descending to Portland, the visibility was reduced due to fog and the crew was unable to localize the airfield and the runway. On approach, the aircraft crashed in a huge ball of fire in the Redbank Trailer Park. Both pilots and 18 people on the ground (mothers and their children) were killed. Less than one month later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.

Shortly after takeoff from Portland-Swan Island Airport, while climbing, the engine exploded. The pilot ditched the airplane in the Willamette River off the airfield. The pilot was injured and the passengers was killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a night mail flight from Portland to Pasco. While approaching Pasco, he encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Control was lost and the airplane crashed, killing the pilot.

En route from Portland to Pasco, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Too low, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Bluff located some 22 km northeast of Washougal. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

While approaching Portland-Swan Island Field, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions and decided to return to Pasco. Doing so, the aircraft impacted power cables and crashed by a bridge located in Vancouver, near the Columbia River. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot Clarence C. Price was seriously injured. He died from his injuries the following day.