United States of America

Crashed on landing in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

The crew left Norfolk NAS on a cargo flight to Oklahoma City with an intermediate stop at Knoxville, carrying a load of 12,000 pounds of various goods on behalf of the US Army. As the weather conditions worsened at Knoxville, the crew was diverted to Chattanooga. With a ceiling at 900 feet, the crew continued the approach at an insufficient altitude when the airplane hit trees, lost its left wing and crashed 2,660 feet short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were seriously injured.

The crew was completing a flight from Griffiss AFB (Rome) to Turner AGB located in Albany. Enroute, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Georgetown, killing all three crew members.

Flight 329 departed Des Moines on a VFR (Visual Flight Reed) night plan at 1608 for Omaha, Nebraska. The gross weight of the aircraft was 45,215 pounds 1,685 pounds less than the allowable 46,900 pounds. According to company records, the load was properly distributed with respect to the canter of gravity of the aircraft. The climb to 5,000 feet was uneventful but at that altitude the crew noticed vibration and a slight fore-and-aft movement of the control column. The climb was continued to 6,000 feet, where the aircraft was leveled off and power was reduced. As the vibration was still present at this time, the captain attempted to dampen it by engaging the autopilot; however, this was unsuccessful and it was immediately disengaged. The first officer next lowered the flaps, first to 5 degrees and then to 15 degrees, without any noticeable effect. The “Fasten Seat Belt" sign was turned on and the captain told the first officer to advise the company of their difficulty via radio. About this time a sudden failure in the control system was felt and it was with extreme difficulty that any semblance of elevator control was maintained. The first officer again tried lowering the flaps, this time to the 24-degree position, but as this did not help to maintain control he returned them to the 15-degree position, where it was found the most favorable results were attained. Accordingly, the first officer transmitted "Mayday” (distress call) on the radio and said that they were attempting to return to Des Moines but were experiencing control trouble. The buffeting became so severe it was then necessary for the copilot to help the can hold the control column. However, the buffeting lessened and the captain advised the first officer to depressurize the aircraft and tell the stewardess to prepare the passengers for an emergency landing. This was done. By that time the aircraft had descended below 3,000 feet. Both throttles were retarded in turn to see if the trouble could possibly be caused by one of the engines. This also proved to no avail. The vibration built up to high level and suddenly another failure in the control system was felt and the air-plane went into a steep climb. As it seemed that a stall was imminent, the captain quickly moved the propellers to a high r. p. m. and pushed the throttles forward until about 50 inches of manifold pressure was seen on the gauges. The airplane then nosed over and began to dive at a very steep angle. During this rapid descent the captain reduced power and headed toward open country to his right. When the aircraft reached 500 feet above the ground the captain was successful in flaring the aircraft and it struck the ground in a flat attitude. All occupants were quickly deplaned as soon as the aircraft stopped.

Crashed in unknown circumstances at Kaktovik, on Barter Island. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and the pilot Erwin Charles King was uninjured.

The crew departed Battle Creek Airport at 0733LT bound for Miami with an intermediate stop at Lexington, Kentucky. While cruising at an altitude between 700 and 900 feet, the left wing of the aircraft collided with the right engine of a Trans World Airlines (TWA) Martin 202 registered N93211 that just took off from Cincinnati-Greater Cincinnati Airport. Following the collision, both aircraft went into a dive and crashed in a snow covered field and a wooded area located in the suburb of Cincinnati. Both aircraft were completely destroyed upon impact and all 15 occupants on both airplanes were killed.

Few minutes after takeoff from Cincinnati-Greater Cincinnati Airport runway 22, while climbing to a height of 700-900 feet, the pilot-in-command started a turn to the right when the aircraft collided with a DC-3 owned by Castleton Inc. Registered N999B, the aircraft was piloted by a crew of two from Battle Creek to Miami with an intermediate stop at Lexington. It appears that the left wing of the DC-3 hit the right engine of the Martin. Following the collision, both aircraft went into a dive and crashed in a snow covered field and a wooded area located in the suburb of Cincinnati. Both aircraft were completely destroyed upon impact and all 15 occupants on both airplanes were killed.

During initial climb, an engine failed. All 37 paratroopers and three of the five crew members abandoned the aircraft that went out of control and crashed in a field located five miles northeast of the airfield. Both pilots were killed.

After a normal run-up the copilot taxied the aircraft to the end of the 5,010-foot runway. The aircraft was then lined up with the runway slightly to the right of the centerline, the tail wheel was locked, and power was applied. As the aircraft progressed down the runway the tail came up and the copilot applied forward pressure to the control column. Shortly thereafter the airplane began to swerve to the left and when this was corrected it went too far to the right. A series of over-corrections followed which resulted in several swerves in both directions. As these maneuvers began the crew noted a five-inch drop in the manifold pressure of the left engine. At a speed of approximately 80 knots the aircraft again began turning to the left. The captain immediately took over the controls when he noticed a second drop of 25 inches in manifold pressure of the same engine. Both throttles were closed at once and he tried unsuccessfully to stop the turn. The turn developed into a skid and the main landing gear of the aircraft collapsed, rupturing the right wing fuel tank. The airplane cam to rest on the sodded area, off the runway, heading 180 degrees from its original takeoff position. Fire immediately occurred near the right engine nacelle. Under the supervision of the stewardess all passengers left the aircraft in a rapid, orderly manner through the main cabin door. The pilots left through the cockpit windows. The captain and copilot entered the cabin and made a recheck after all passengers were reported out and away from the aircraft. Local weather conditions at the time were: Ceiling 30,000 feet scattered, 600 feet scattered, visibility 12 miles, temperature 70, dewpoint 67, wind south 7. Atmospheric conditions were not conducive to carburetor ice.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Monterey to Norton AFB in San Bernardino, carrying a crew of two and a sailor passenger, fireman of the USS Badoeng Strait. While cruising by night at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Cajon located south of Cajon Pass. The wreckage was found four days later, on January 13. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Marshall Hand, pilot,
Lt Lasley K. Lacewell Jr., copilot.
Passenger:
Haskel Lewis Reichbach.