Teterboro

The pilot initiated the flight in poor weather conditions. After takeoff from Boston-Logan Airport, while climbing in darkness, foggy conditions and rain falls, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into the Boston harbor. The aircraft sank and both occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while in initial climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a huge explosion near the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a huge explosion on the apron. The pilot was seriously injured while the Cessna 411 was destroyed by a post crash fire as well as five other aircraft, a Piper PA-28 (N6416W), two Beechcraft 33 (N8822H & N5715V), a Beechcraft 35 (N9575Q) and a fifth aircraft registered N7167N. A sixth airplane registered N8390N was seriously damaged.

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. The airplane was destroyed and both pilots were injured.

At lift off, the right engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed. There were no casualties but the airplane owned by Walker P. Inman was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Meteor Air Transport is an irregular carrier, and in this instance was transporting a Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine and four company employees from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where the engine was to be installed in a company C-46 aircraft. The flight departed Teterboro for St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 2300, May 23, 1953, on a VFR Flight Plan filed by Captain Harold Carr with an estimated flight time of six and one-half hours. An instrument flight plan filed en route was approved from over Troy, Ohio, intersection via Green Airways 4 to St. Louis, Missouri, cruising at 4,000 feet. The flight proceeded in a routine manner and reported over Terre Haute, Indiana, at 0259, May 24, and at 0324 the following clearance was given to Vandalia radio for delivery to the flight: "ATC clears N 53596 to the Alton intersection to cross Alton at 3,000, Maintain 3,000, no delay expected, contact approach control approaching Alton." At 0357, N 53596 made its initial contact with the St. Louis Tower with the information that it was approaching Alton intersection at 3,000. In reply to an inquiry, N 53596 advised the tower that it carried ILS equipment and was recleared to the ILS Outer Marker 2 to maintain 3,000 with no expected delay and to report when over the Alton intersection. The flight was given the current St. Louis weather: ceiling measured 400 overcast, visibility 3 miles, fog and smoke, altimeter 29.93. It was cleared for an ILS approach to Runway 24 or l2, 3 wind south variable 5, to report leaving 3,000, passing Alton and the Outer Marker. N 53596 reported leaving 3,000 at 0408, passing Alton intersection at 0410 1/2 and inbound over the Outer Marker at 0414. While the controller was watching the approach end of Runway 24 expecting N 53596 to come into view at any moment, a surging of engines was heard; and almost simultaneously a message was received from the flight stating that it was over the field with an engine out. The time as noted by the controller was 0415 at which time all runny and approach lights were turned up to full intensity and the standby emergency alarm sounded. The pilot of the aircraft was advised that the surface winds were calm and to use any runway he could make. Shortly thereafter, the controller for the first and only time observed N 53596 at a position south of the field flying on a southeasterly heading above Natural Bridge Highway which runs parallel to Runway 12. The altitude of the aircraft was estimated at 300 feet and it appeared to be descending with the landing gear in a down position. Upon reaching an altitude of 200 feet, according to the controller, it started a climbing left turn and disappeared in the overcast. Repeated efforts to contact the flight were unsuccessful. It was learned shortly thereafter through the county sheriff's office that the aircraft had crashed adjacent to Brown Road near the McDonnell Aircraft Plant gate number 6. Navy emergency equipment was immediately dispatched to the scene. There was no fire. The occupants of the aircraft were Senior Captain S. J. Rankin, Captain Harold Carr, First Officers Edward J. Raftery and Arthur A. Ravitz, Stewardess Anne Marie Delicata, Superintendent of Maintenance John Swart and Floyd Evans, mechanic. Mr. John Swart was the only survivor.

The flight was designated as No. 4-2 because it was being operated as the second section of a regularly scheduled cargo flight that left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 4. Flight 4-2 departed Fort Lauderdale April 5, 1952, at 0055, with a crew consisting of Captain William B. Crockett, Jr., and Copilot Jack L. Woerderhoff. The destination was Teterboro, New Jersey, with intermediate stops at Charleston. South Carolina, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The gross weight of the aircraft upon departure was less than the maximum of 48,000 pounds permitted in cargo operations, and the load was placed so that the aircraft's center of gravity was within prescribed limits. This first segment of the flight was conducted according to visual flight rules. It was entirely routine with a landing at Charleston at 0328. Fuel was added but no cargo was loaded or discharged at Charleston. Takeoff from Charleston was at 0410, with a flight plan calling for instrument flight rules. Again the gross weight was less than the allowable and the center of gravity was within prescribed limits. This segment of the flight was also routine, with a landing at Raleigh-Durham at 0524. Again the cargo remained unchanged although 284 gallons of fuel were added. At Rale-gh-Durhan the pilots were briefed at the office of the U. S. Weather Bureau on current and forecast weather conditions over the route. It was indicated that no difficulty should be encountered en route to the New York area, but the ceilings and visibilities there and at Philadelphia, the alternate, would be 800 feet and live miles with heavy rain upon arrival. At 0554 the crew filed a flight plan according to instrument flight rules to cruise from Raleigh-Durham to new York International Airport (Idlewild) at 3,000 feet. The original destination, Teterboro, was changed because of worsening weather there, and the alternate was Philadelphia International Airport. The estimated time en route was two hours and ten minutes. The aircraft carried fuel for four hours' flight. The 0528 weather sequence reported Idlewild, the destination, as 2,100 feet ceiling and 4-mile visibility, and Philadelphia, the alternate, as also above minimums. Upon departure from Raleigh-Durham at 0608 the aircraft's gross weight was about 172 pounds less than its maximum allowable of 48,000 pounds, and its center of gravity was within prescribed limits. The flight proceeded uneventfully at its planned altitude of 3,000 feet. Routine position reports were made through Air Route Traffic Control and arrival over the Idlewild range station was estimated at 0810. At 0809 the flight was instructed by ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) to climb to 3,500 feet and to contact Idlewild Approach Control when over Scotland Intersection (where the south-west leg of the Idlewild range intersects the southeast leg of the Newark range). The next instruction to the flight was from Idlewild Approach Control and directed it to hold at Scotland at 3,500 feet, and to expect approach clearance at 0828. The flight reported over Scotland at 3,500 feet at 0817. Immediately following the flight was given Idlewild weather as follows: "Weather 0804 time now 0817, measured 500 broken, 1800 overcast, visibility 1 1/2 miles in heavy rain, the altimeter 29.82." The approach controller first saw the flight on the airport surveillance radar (ASR) when it was approaching Scotland. He asked the flight if it could make a straight-in approach from its present position and the flight replied affirmatively. It was then cleared for a straight-in approach, instructed to descend immediately, and to report passing through 2,500 feet. The flight acknowledged and subsequently reported leaving 2,500 feet, and then leaving 2,000 feet. The controller then cleared the flight to continue descent, to advise upon reaching 1,500 feet, and then cleared it to "pass over Runway 4 and make left turn into Runway 13 left." The next contact with the flight was at 0825, when it reported "contact" over the outer marker, located at the Idlewild range station, 2.9 miles from the approach end of Runway No. 4. The local controller then took over control of the flight and advised it to "bear left and make a right turn into Runway 13L, that's the big runway on the north side of the airport, and call base leg coming up on the Federal Building. Go ahead and you'll probably De west of the Federal Building when you call." This was acknowledged by the flight, which presumably intended to comply because the message was not questioned. At 0827 the local controller saw the aircraft below the overcast and at an estimated altitude of 500 feet, between the tower and Runway 4. 2 He at once transmitted, "Just saw you pass over the airport. You should be passing those hangars now. If you start your left turn and watch the hangers on your left wing, you'll be able to make a left turn into Runway One Three. Go ahead, sir." The landing gear appeared to be fully extended, but the flap position was not noticed. A few seconds later the aircraft disappeared from view on a northerly heading and still at an estimated altitude of 500 feet. The local controller at once asked the flight if it had started the left turn, and the flight replied that it was pilling up to execute a missed approach. The tower gave immediate instruction to turn right and proceed to Long Beach intersection (the SE leg of the Idlewild Range and the SW leg of the Hempstead Range, about 10 miles SE of Idlewild) at 1,500 feet altitude. This transmission was acknowledged. This was the last communication from the flight. A very short time later the aircraft crashed at the intersection of 169th Street and 89th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, about 4.4 miles north of the Idlewild control tower.

At 1727 the aircraft was cleared to Runway 19 for takeoff toward the south. The engines were run up to a manifold pressure of 15 inches of mercury and ignition was checked on both magnetos of each engine. Takeoff was then started and the manifold pressure was increased to 52 inches of mercury. Ground witnesses estimated that the takeoff run as somewhat longer than usual for this model aircraft. Tower personnel and several ground witnesses saw puffs of black smoke coming from the left engine immediately after the takeoff. At an altitude estimated as 200-300 feet, the left engine started to misfire. The landing gear had been raised and was checked for position. The left engine continued misfiring and shortly became worse. The left propeller as feathered. Ahead, the terrain as flat, unobstructed and marshy. Full power was maintained on the right engine and a left turn was started as if to return to the airport. At this point the altitude was estimated to be 400-500 feet. During the turn the air speed fell to 85-90 1 PH and the aircraft settled. This turning and settling continued until the aircraft neared the ground, when it was leveled laterally. It struck while about level, both laterally and longitudinally, and slid along the omen ground in a generally northeasterly direction for some 620 feet where it struck some large trees and turned to the left about 180 degrees. Both captain and copilot were thrown clear of the wreckage. The captain later died from his injuries. The weather was good and was not a factor in the accident.

The airplane departed Teterboro Airport on a flight to San Juan with an intermediate stop in Miami. After passing Atlantic City, it continued to the south to Miami over the sea along the coast. The Florida coast was not sighted however. After heading west, the crew observed the Berry Group Islands (Bahamas). Since they didn't have enough fuel to reach Nassau, a forced belly landing was carried out on a beach. The surf later damaged the aircraft beyond repair. Although it cannot be proven, it was thought that the crew were asleep during part of the flight and that the autopilot processed and turned the plane westward.

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the left engine failed. The crew decided to return to Troy Airport but during the last turn, just passing over a small hill, the aircraft lost altitude, impacted a tree and swung into another before dropping to the ground, bursting into flames. All six occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. The captain died few hours later resulting from his injuries. It appears that the aircraft was carrying two couples and was originally planned as a sky wedding flight over New York City. The captain killed in the accident was Harry Hublitz, aged 42. The famous ace feminine pilot Ruth Nichols was among the passengers and was seriously injured.