Date & Time:
Mar 26, 1939 at 0248 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13727
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chicago – Kansas City – Wichita – Oklahoma City – Dallas
MSN:
1253
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
BR001
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total hours on type:
1253
Copilot / Total hours on type:
526
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the left engine exploded. The crew attempted to return when, during the last turn at 115°, at a speed of 80 knots, the left wing stalled and hit the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and crashed some 600 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The stewardess and seven passengers were killed.
Crew:
Claude H. Seaton, pilot,
Malcolm Wallace, copilot,
Louise Zarr, stewardess.
Crew:
Claude H. Seaton, pilot,
Malcolm Wallace, copilot,
Louise Zarr, stewardess.
Probable cause:
A stall, induced by a violent yaw, resulting in loss of control from which the pilot was unable to recover.
Contributing factors are:
Failure of hold down studs on the number six cylinder of the left engine which resulted in the cylinder being forced off, carrying with it the lower third of the engine ring cowling. Displacement of the remaining portion of the left engine ring cowling, which caused buffeting, as a result of disturbances of the air flow over the tail surfaces, and increased the drag on that side of the aircraft. Severe vibration induced by the continued rotation of the propeller. Lack of individual propeller pitch controls which would have permitted the pilot to increase the pitch of the propeller on the inoperative engine, thereby reducing the speed of rotation and consequently the vibration from the effect of "windmilling".
Contributing factors are:
Failure of hold down studs on the number six cylinder of the left engine which resulted in the cylinder being forced off, carrying with it the lower third of the engine ring cowling. Displacement of the remaining portion of the left engine ring cowling, which caused buffeting, as a result of disturbances of the air flow over the tail surfaces, and increased the drag on that side of the aircraft. Severe vibration induced by the continued rotation of the propeller. Lack of individual propeller pitch controls which would have permitted the pilot to increase the pitch of the propeller on the inoperative engine, thereby reducing the speed of rotation and consequently the vibration from the effect of "windmilling".
Final Report:
NC13727.pdf1.74 MB
