Date & Time:
Mar 15, 1959 at 0053 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
N94273
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Chicago
MSN:
150
YOM:
1949
Flight number:
AA2815
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
2500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
800
Aircraft flight hours:
22720
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from LaGuardia Airport to Midway Airport in Chicago. On final approach to runway 31, the captain considered his position was incorrect and decided to make a go around. Few minutes later, during a second attempt to land, he failed to realized his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck a 96-foot steel tower, stalled and crashed in flames on a railroad located about 0,9 mile short of runway 31 threshold. The aircraft and the cargo were destroyed by a post crash fire while both pilots were uninjured.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s descent below his allowable minimum altitude and his inattention to flight instruments while attempting to locate the runway visually. The Board concludes that this accident was brought about by the captain’s disregard of the minimum altitude during instrument flight. It is evident that he was attempting visually to locate the runway tile flying at a low altitude under conditions of restricted visibility.
Final Report:
N94273.pdf495.34 KB
