Washington DC

Following an uneventful flight from Washington DC, the pilot started the approach to Westfield-Barnes Airport in marginal weather with a visibility less than two miles due to fog. On final, while under control, the twin engine aircraft struck the ground about three miles short of runway, near Southampton. The pilot and a passenger were killed while three other occupants were injured.
Crew:
Edwin T. Zimny. †
Passengers:
Ted Kennedy, Senator,
Birch Bayh, Senator,
Mrs Bayh,
Edward Moss, personnel assistant to Mr. Kennedy. †

United Air Lines Flight 297, a Vickers-Armstrong Viscount Model 745D, N7430, crashed in a wooded area six miles west-southwest of Ellicott City, Maryland, at approximately 1224 e.s.t., on November 23, 1962. All thirteen Passengers and a crew of four were fatally injured. Flight 297 was en route from Newark, New Jersey to Washington, D. C. The flight was operating at an assigned altitude of' 6,000 feet when it apparently penetrated a flock of Whistling Swans. At least two of these a were struck by the aircraft. One swan collided with the right horizontal stabilizer inflicting superficial damage only. The other bird punctured the left horizontal stabilizer, traveled through the structure, and dented the elevator as it egresses. The weakened structure failed in this area. rendered the aircraft uncontrollable, and resulted in, the aircraft striking the ground in a nose-low inverted attitude.

While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet in foggy and icing conditions, both engines number three and four failed. The crew elected to restart the engines, without success. The airplane went out of control and plunged before crashing in a wooded area, striking the ground in a level attitude, with no forward velocity. The airplane was destroyed and all 50 occupants were killed.

A Capital Airlines DC-3 crashed and burned near Martinsburg Airport, Martinsburg, West Virginia, at 1358 on June 4, 1958, injuring the three occupants-an instructor and two pilot-trainees. One trainee, who was flying the aircraft at the time of the accident, died the following day of severe burns. The aircraft was on a training flight from Washington National Airport and was practising takeoffs and landings at Martinsburg Airport. During the pilot's attempt to climb out after abandoning a single-engine approach to runway 8, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area. A crew member was killed while two other occupants were injured.

Shortly after takeoff from Rockcliffe AFB in Ottawa, while in initial climb, the right engine caught fire. A crew member was able to bail out and was later found alive. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field located in Ramsayville. All four occupants were killed, among them Laurence A. Steinhardt, US Ambassador to Canada.

The aircraft departed Washington DC at 1230LT destined for Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with intermediate stops in Detroit, Rochester, Madison and Minneapolis. With the exception of an hour and 23 minute delay at Detroit, required for the replacement of a ring seal in the hydraulic system, the flight proceeded in air routine manner to Madison, Wisconsin After arrival at Madison the aircraft was serviced with 1,010 gallons of fuel and 38 gallons of oil. Also on board were 10 passengers and 1,799 pounds of cargo which resulted in an aircraft weight of 36,842 pounds. This weight was well within the allowable limit of 39,100 pounds, and so far as is known, the aircraft was properly loaded. Weather information available to the flight prior to its departure from Madison showed that Rochester, 75 miles south southeast of Minneapolis, was reporting a ceiling of 700 feet with visibility of five miles, and that Minneapolis was reporting a ceiling of 900 feet with visibility of 1/2 mile 3. In addition, there was fog and blowing snow at these stations. Turbulence was expected in the clouds, and icing above the freezing level of 8,000 feet. The trip was planned to Minneapolis at an altitude of 4 000 feet, the schedule stop at Rochester being made contingent upon weather conditions at the time of the flight’s arrival. Madison, Wis., and Jamestown, N. Dak where weather conditions were well above landing minimums, were designated as alternate airports. Flight 307 arrived over Rochester at 2023, and because there was light freezing rain, did not land. Twelve minutes later the flight made a routine report to company radio that it was over Stanton which is a radio beacon 30 miles south of the Twin Cities Airport at Minneapolis, and at 2041 contacted Minneapolis Approach Control for landing clearance. The tower advised Flight 307 of existing, weather conditions. There was a precipitation ceiling of 900 feet, visibility was variable 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile, and the wind was from the north 27 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 miles per hour. The tower informed the flight that there had been two electric power failures at the field, and that if no further communication were received from the tower, it would be in all probability the result of another power failure The flight was also told that the ILS was serviceable, but that it had not been flight checked. As Flight 307 approached, another NWA flight, a Boeing 377, was standing at the approach end of the instrument runway, Runway 35, checking engines prior to flight Takeoff clearance was given to the Boeing 377. When it had proceeded half-way down the runway, Flight 307 reported that it was over the outer marker, which was 4.7 miles south of the approach end of the runway. The high intensity runway lights were increased in intensity, their coning device was set to 1/2 mile, the prevailing visibility at the time, and Flight 307 was cleared to land. Flight 307 was not seen from the tower during its approach, but it was heard to pass overhead at which time the controllers received the call, “I have got to get in Clearance was again given to land, following which the flight advised that it would climb to 2,400 feet on the northwest course of the Minneapolis radio range. After a pause, the flight transmitted. “We are going in-we are going in.” After the aircraft had flown over the field, it was observed flying straight and level 3.8 miles northwest of the airport. A wing was seen to fall. Then, the aircraft was observed to dive almost vertically from an altitude of about 300 feet, and crash into a residence in the city of Minneapolis Fire which started immediately after the crash consumed the house and much of the aircraft wreckage. All of the 13 occupants of the aircraft and two of the occupants of the house were killed.

Capital Airlines Flight 500 originated in Memphis, Tenn., December 12, 1949, and proceeded in a routine manner to Norfolk, Va. No difficulties of any kind were experienced. At Norfolk a new crew consisting of Captain William J. Davis, Copilot Lloyd L. Porter, and Flight Attendant Joseph W. Buell were assigned to the flight for the remainder of the trip to Newport News, Va., and Washington, D. C. Before takeoff from Norfolk, Captain Davis studied all weather data in the Capital Airlines office, and called the company’s dispatcher in Washington who advised him that weather conditions would remain above landing limits until after midnight. Flight 500 took off from Norfolk at 1816; arrived at Newport News, Va., at 1836; and seven minutes later, at 1843, was again in the air en route to Washington by way of Richmond, Va., at a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet. On board were 20 passengers, the crew of three, 792 pounds of cargo and 3,000 pounds of fuel. Total aircraft weight was 25,472 pounds, which was 126 pounds in excess of the certificated aircraft weight. The load was distributed so that the center of gravity of the aircraft was within the certificated limits. The trip continued without incident. It reported over Richmond at 1910, and was then cleared by Air Route Traffic Control to proceed at 8,000 feet to the Clifton Intersection, which is 32 miles southwest of the Washington National Airport. By the time that the flight arrived over Clifton, however, ceiling and visibility at Washington were below landing minimums, so instructions were given to the flight to “hold.” Approximately 410 gallons of fuel remained on board, and weather conditions at the al-ternate airports of Richmond and Norfolk were remaining well above landing minimums. At 2025, a weather observer stationed at the south end of runway 36 at the National Airport reported that the ceiling was 400 feet variable, and that the visibility was 3/4 of a mile. Since landing minimums were now indicated, the control tower cleared one aircraft to land and the Capital flight to descend to 3,500 feet in the holding pattern. The air-craft which had been cleared to land completed its landing at 2033 without incident using the instrument landing system (ILS). At 2033 another runway observation was made, reporting the ceiling to be 400 feet variable, and the visibility 1 1/2 miles restricted by light rain and fog. Immediately following the transmission of this observation, clearance was given to Capital’s Flight 500 to descend to 1,500 feet and to commence its landing approach. Flight 500 acknowledged. Five minutes later, at 2038, the flight reported leaving the outer marker, five miles south of the end of runway 36, at which time it was cleared by the tower to land. From the holding pattern to the outer marker the aircraft was observed in the ground control approach (GCA) radar scopes which are in the Washington National Tower. Nothing unusual was noted. As the flight passed over the outer marker at 1,500 feet, entering its ILS approach, the GCA operator advised that the approach would be monitored. This message, as is customary, was not acknowledged, so it is not known whether either the pilot or the copilot was listening to GCA. In the GCA radar scopes, the flight path and descent at first appeared to be normal. When the aircraft was 4 1/2 miles from its point of landing, it was 200 feet to the right of the intended track, an extended center line of the runway, and the glide was good. When it was three miles from intended point of touchdown, it was 50 feet to the right and the glide was still good. When two miles out, the aircraft was on the center line, and only 25 feet above the glide path. One and one-half miles out, it was on the center line, and on the glide path. Then, the flight began to deviate to the right from the center line. The GCA operator in his monitoring conversation advised the flight that it was drifting sharply to the right, and followed by saying that it had gone 1,500 feet off course. The flight then appeared to turn left, proceeding back to the center line, but when within 1,000 feet of the center line and only 1/2 mile from the end of the runway, it disappeared entirely from the scopes. The aircraft was neither seen nor heard by any of the control tower operators, nor by the weather observer stationed at the end of runway 36. A few minutes after the accident, the runway observer reported the ceiling to be 400 feet variable and visibility to be 3/4 of a mile. There was light rain and fog, and the wind was from the south-southwest at nine miles per hour. The aircraft struck the water, left wing and nose first, in a steep nose down, left turning attitude. Both pilots and four passengers were killed. The aircraft was lost.

Flight 157 originated at LaGuardia Field, New York, for Mexico City, Mexico, with stops scheduled at Washington, D C., and Dallas, Tex. Departure from LaGuardia was at 2147, November 28 Between LaGuardia and Washington the flight was reported to be uneventful with all of the aircraft's components functioning normally. At Washington, a flight plan was filed with, and approved by, Airway Route Traffic Control It specified Instrument Flight Rules to Dallas, with Wichita Falls, Tex, as the alternate, a cruising altitude of 18,000 feet, and a flight time of 5 hours and 4 minutes The gross height of the aircraft at takeoff was 82,298 pounds, which was 3,577 pounds less than the maximum allowable gross weight of 85,875 pounds, and the disposable load was distributed so that the center of gravity was within prescribed limits. At 0206 the flight requested and received permission to change its flight plan to Visual Flight Rules A posit-,on report was made over Nashville at 16,000 feet at 0254 and a descent was started to 6,000 feet When approaching Nashville, 1 No 1 engine had started backfiring at intervals of about 20 seconds Various corrective measures, including the application of alcohol and carburetor heat, and the richening of fuel mixture, were applied but were not successful and the backfiring continued. The captain and the flight engineer discussed the malfunctioning following which No 1 engine was feathered at a point about 25 miles southwest of Nashville at approximately 0300, however, the feathering was not reported to the company until 0429, where the flight was in the vicinity of Altheimer, Ark, a routine position reporting point about 125 miles beyond Memphis At that time, the crew advised a change of aircraft on arrival at Dallas. When 15 miles northeast of Dallas, at 0536, the flight was given permission to enter the traffic pattern at Love Field, Dallas, with a right-hand turn and instructed to land on Runway 36 The altimeter setting of 29 83 inches and the weather, which included unlimited ceiling, a visibility of 15 miles and a north-northeast wind of 5 mph, were given the flight The captain and the flight engineer conferred regarding returning No 1 engine to service and decided against doing so. The crew then went through the pre-landing cheek The landing lights were turned or and the Plans were lowered to the 20 degree position. The flight turned -flight to final approach when approximately over the Range Station which is 2 2 miles south of the approach end of Runway 36 At this time its altitude was estimated to be 1200 feet AFL 2 by the captain and 800 feet AFL by the first officer At a distance of about 1 1/2 miles from the approach end of the runway, the landing gear was extended. Shortly thereafter the flaps were extended fully, the turn to final placed be aircraft to the left of the runway Accordingly an "S" turn was made to correct the misalignment During this "S" turn the aircraft skidded to Its left, the air speed dropped abruptly and the aircraft settled rapidly. At this point the captain increased power to engines Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in an attempt to maintain control. Control tower operators watching the approach estimated that the aircraft cleared by 75 to 100 feet obstruction lights mounted on 30-foot poles on a power line located 800 feet south of the approach end of the runway. The aircraft continued in a generally northwest direction, across the airport on a heading about 40 degrees to the left of Runway 36, in a tail low attitude. Its air speed continued to fall, its attitude became increasingly nose-high. and a stall developed just prior to striking a hangar and other buildings on the northwest side of the airport. Both pilots and 26 passengers were killed.

On November 1, 1949, Eastern's Flight 537 was flying from Boston via intermediate points to Washington. Over Beltsville, 15 miles northeast of the Washington National airport, it contacted the Washington Control Tower on 119 1 megacycles voice communications and was cleared by the tower to enter a left traffic pattern for landing on Runway 3 One minute before, at 11 37, the P-38 flown by Erick Rios Bridoux, a Bolivian national, had taken off from Runway 3 at Washington National Airport. Rios was test flying the P-38 for acceptance by the Bolivian Government Previously, he had notified the tower through Paul M. Aubin, that he intended to make the flight and that his communications with the tower would be accomplished over VHF radio, Channel B on 126 18 megacycles. Rios also stated that he requested Aubin to notify the tower to give him a light if radio contact could not be established. This message was not transmitted to the tower and Aubin denied hearing Rios make this last request. Throughout the entire ground operation of the P-38, including clearance for take-off, no difficulty was experienced by either the tower or Rios in communication. Departure of the P-38 was noted by the tower to be at 11 37, and from that time until after the accident, visibility in the vicinity of the airport remained at 15 miles, ceiling was 6,500 feet with scattered clouds at 3,500, and surface wind was from the northeast 20 to 25 miles per hour. Testimony of control tower personnel and that of the pilot of the P-38 were in conflict. Rios stated that he had taken off not from Runway 3, but from Runway 36, turning left at an altitude of about 300 feet. His climb was made, he said, to the north of the Pentagon, and because of the erratic operation of the right engine, he decided to land as soon as possible. Continuing to climb to about 2,500 feet or more, he made a second left turn so as to fly south, parallel to Runway 36, and when abeam of the control tower, he transmitted, "Washington Tower, this is Bolivian P-38 I got engine trouble--request landing instructions." His testimony continues to the effect that because no answer was received, he turned left again to circle the field where he could see light signals from the tower. He stated that he received none, but that when he was between Bolling Field and the National Airport and at about 3,500 feet altitude, the tower asked, "Bolivian P-38, you were asking landing instructions?" Rios stated that he answered, "Yes, I have engine trouble. I am in a hurry," and that the tower at that time responded, "Bolivian P-38 cleared to land number two on Runway 3" Rios stated that the tower did not inform him that the aircraft ahead of him was an Eastern DC-4 Rios said that he continued to turn left, and at a reduced speed of 150 miles per hour, started a descent of 500 to 600 feet per minute, completing a second 360-degree turn around the airport until reaching an altitude of approximately 2,400 feet. Rios said that a downwind leg was flown at about 1,500 feet, and when about five miles south of the field, he turned left 90 degrees, flying east on a short base leg at an altitude of about 1,200 feet. During his downwind leg, he observed a C-60 or C-45 on approach to Runway 3 or 36, and while on his base leg, he saw it complete its landing and turn off the runway to the left. Rios made a left turn from the base leg to an approach course of 20 degrees for landing on Runway 3. As soon as the turn had been completed, Rios transmitted, "Washington Tower, this is Bolivian P-38 on approach." The tower responded, said Rios, "Bolivian P-38 cleared to land on Runway 3." Rios stated that his approach was made a little higher than normal, for safety reasons, and that one minute after leaving the base leg, he extended the flaps, the landing gear having been put down previously when he was west of the field Rios heard the tower say, "Clear to the left, clear to the left," but he stated that he did not know for whom it was intended because the tower did not use any call sign. Almost immediately afterwards, he felt the shock of the collision with the DC-4. According to control tower personnel, the P-38 took off from Runway 3, turned left, and proceeded in a climb 10 miles west of the field. Then a second left turn was made, and the aircraft, still climbing, continued in a southerly direction. The P-38 was next observed from the control tower circling left, south of Alexandria at an estimated altitude between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. The tower operators stated that while the P-38 was circling south of Alexandria, they received, "Washington Tower, this is Bolivian 927 requesting landing instruction." After the controller had asked if Bolivian 927 had requested landing instructions, and the pilot had replied affirmatively, the controller instructed the P-38 to enter a left traffic pattern for Runway 3 and to report when west of the tower on downwind leg. When the instruction was not acknowledged by Rios, it was repeated. Prior to these instructions, the tower had cleared the Eastern flight to land number one on Runway 3. Shortly after the Eastern DC-4 was observed 1 1/2 miles west to southwest from the end of Runway 3, making a continuous left turn from the downwind leg to final approach, tower personnel observed the P-38 on a long high final approach. The controller thereupon requested Rios to make a 360-degree turn to his left, saying that he was number two to land following an Eastern DC-4 turning on its final approach below. Since there was neither acknowledgment nor compliance with this second instruction, another transmission was made to the P-38, which was identified as Bolivian 927, and Rios was then told. "Turn left, turn left," and was again told that the DC-4 was turning on final approach below. Again there was no response or compliance by the P-38, whereupon the tower then instructed the Eastern DC-4 to turn left. The DC-4 promptly acted in response to this instruction, but before 5 degrees of turn were made, the two aircraft collided at an approximate altitude of 300 feet about 1/2 mile southwest of Runway 3. While the Bolivian pilot survived, all 55 occupant on board the DC-4 were killed, among them George Bates and Michael Kennedy, two US politicians.

After 2.700 feet of takeoff roll the aircraft became airborne with an estimated air speed of 120 miles per hour, but at an altitude from 20 to 50 feet the right engine failed and the right propeller automatically feathered. Retraction of the landing gear was accomplished after momentary hesitation as the flight continued straight ahead, gaining altitude very slowly. It passed over the end of the runway at about 50 feet. A power transmission line, 11,700 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. was located across the flight's course. Two towers of this transmission line between which the aircraft was flown extended to an elevation of 371 feet, or a height of 111 feet above the southwest end of Runway 2 from where the takeoff was started. Elevation of the lowest point of the top series of wires as they hung between the two towers was 335 feet or 75 feet above the southwest end of Runway 2. The flight cleared these wires at this lowest point by 10 to 20 feet. Just before flying over the power lines at an air speed of 110 miles per hour, a slow retraction of the flaps was started. After crossing the power lines, the air speed fell to 105 miles per hour even though the left engine continued to develop full takeoff power. Not being able to hold altitude, a shallow right turn was made to relatively clear terrain where the aircraft was crash landed 18,713 feet northeast from the starting point of the takeoff. The aircraft slid over the ground for a distance of 217 feet, skidded over an embankment and a highway, then came to rest. Control tower personnel had observed the feathering of the right propeller and the slow rate of climb. Feeling that the aircraft would not remain airborne, the airport controller instructed another air carrier flight, then on a landing approach to Memphis, to circle the Convair so as to keep the tower advised of its position. Instructions were immediately transmitted to the field's fire and crash personnel following which the city fire and police departments and hospitals were notified. Since fire and crash equipment had actually been dispatched while the aircraft was still in flight, it arrived only two or three minutes after the crash. Fire which started in the left engine nacelle after landing was quickly extinguished, and prompt medical attention was available for all occupants. Although the stewardess had received minor injuries, she, with the aid of one of the passengers, had opened two emergency exits. She had then deplaned all passengers. Thirteen passengers and one crew member received serious injuries, and 18 passengers and two crew members received minor injuries.