Date & Time:
Nov 16, 1935 at 0120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Registration:
NC15107
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9107
YOM:
1935
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night mail flight with one passenger on board. After take off from Pittsburgh-Allegheny County airport, while climbing to a height of 50 feet, the front (central) engine failed. Few seconds later, both other engines (left and right) failed as well. The crew decided to make an emergency landing in an open field. Upon landing, the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. All three occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
A check on the tank four days previously had revealed no water and it appears that fuel taken from the service truck tank at 9 30 p.m. on the night of the accident was free of water. However, shortly before the accident it was refilled with fuel from the storage tank into which rain water and seeped and this was subsequently pumped into the fuel tanks of the aircraft without the presence of the water being detected. It is the opinion of the bureau of Air Commerce that the probable cause of this accident was an abnormal amount of water in the fuel tanks of the aircraft to accidental entry of water into an underground fuel storage tank as a result of a strained fitting.
