Flying Tiger Line

The crew was completing a night VFR approach to Pelly Bay Airport, NWT, when the left wing struck the ground. The airplane crashed in a rocky area located few km short of runway and was destroyed. All three occupants were injured and evacuated.

Trip 7413-23 originated at Travis Air Force Base, California, its destination Tokyo, Japan, with scheduled refueling stops at Honolulu and Wake Island. The cargo load of 15,33 pounds was properly secured and distributed relative to the center of gravity. The flight departed Travis Air Force Base at 0958 and arrived at Honolulu at 2211, September 23, 1955, without incident. The crew consisted of Captain A. J. Machado. First Off leer W. F. Gin, Copilot R. C. Hightower. and Navigators R. C. Olsen and D. Ventresca. No maintenance work was required at Honolulu and the aircraft was refueled to 3,016 gallons for the flight to Wake Island. There was no offloading or loading of cargo. Gross weight of the aircraft at the time of takeoff from Honolulu was 72.993 pounds; there was no change in the flight crew. The flight departed Honolulu at 0013, September 24, 1955, on an IFR (Instrument Plight Rules) flight plan to Wake Airport via Green 9, Rhumbline Track, to maintain 8,000 feet. Routine hourly position, fuel remaining and weather reports ware made to Honolulu ARTC (Air Route Traffic Center) as the flight progressed and at 0630 control of the flight was transferred to Wake Island ARTC. At 0633 an emergency was declared to Wake ARTC, the flight advising of loss of power in three engines and inability to return to Honolulu. The aircraft was ditched during darkness at approximately 0641 at position 20 degrees 20' N. latitude 175 degrees 45' W. longitude. Neither Wake nor Honolulu radio was able to maintain contact with the aircraft; therefore Air Search and Rescue was alerted and an extensive search was commenced using both aircraft and surface vessels. At approximately 1318 on September 25 the SS Steel Advocate sighted and picked up Captain Machado and Copilot Hightower who were floating in life jackets. The two survivors reported that Navigator Ventresca went down with the aircraft and First Officer Gin and Navigator Olsen died while in the water. Weather briefing at Honolulu indicated a low pressure trough to be crossed at about 165 degrees W. longitude; there were no fronts to be crossed. The forecast indicated that scattered cumulus clouds would prevail over the intended route with tops mostly 12,000 feet and lower. Review of the weather indicates no rain showers at the time and place of ditching. Sea swells in the ditching area wore probably 4 to 6 feet high with the sea surface intermittently in deep shadow and faintly illuminated by the moon, which was in its first quarter.

Flying Tiger's Flight 841 of January 7, 1953, a ferry flight from Burbank, California, to Seattle, to pick up military personnel, was made in accordance with the company's contract with the Department of National Defense. Departure from Burbank was at 1437, with Captain C. Greber, pilot in command, Captain B. Merrill, and Copilot W. Lowe comprising the crew. Captain H. Wall, chief pilot of the company's Burbank Division, was on board as an observer. The weight of the aircraft at takeoff was 57,520 pounds which was within the maximum allowable gross weight; there was no revenue load. Throughout the segment of the flight to San Francisco, California, Captain Merrill and Captain Lowe flew the aircraft; with the exception of a false fire warning signal from the No. 3 engine nacelle observed in the cockpit shortly after takeoff, the flight to San Francisco was routine. Upon arrival there mechanics checked the fire warning system and found no evidence of a fire having occurred. Captain Merrill told the mechanics that he was satisfied from their inspection there was no danger of fire and that he would not delay the flight further. The malfunctioning fire waning system was not repaired at this time. Captain Wall terminated his flight at San Francisco and a company stewardess, together with a woman passenger and her two children (the wife and children of a company pilot), boarded the aircraft at this point to fly as non-revenue passengers. No fuel or cargo was added at San Francisco. Flight 841 departed San Francisco at 1737 with Captain Greber in command occupying the left pilot's seat and Captain Merrill occupying the copilot's seat. The flight was cleared by ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) to fly VFR via Amber Airway No. 1 to Williams, California, and IFR from Williams to Boeing Field, Seattle, at an altitude of 11,000 feet MSL. The estimated time en route was three hours and 39 minutes with 1,500 gallons of fuel on board and the Seattle-Tacoma Airport was designated as the alternate. Normal en route position reports were made by the flight and at 1947 it reported being over Eugene, Oregon, at 11,000 feet. Seattle ARTC then cleared the flight to descend to and maintain 9,000 feet until passing Portland, Oregon, and from this point, to descend to and maintain 7,000 feet. At 2036 Flight 841 reported over the McChord radio range station and requested further clearance. Accordingly, ARTC cleared the flight to maintain 7,000 feet, to contact Seattle Approach Control immediately and advised that no delay was expected. Contact was immediately made with approach control; the flight was then cleared to make a standard range approach to Boeing Field and requested to report leaving each 1,000-foot level during the descent. The following weather information was given the flight at this time: "Boeing Field - 1800 scattered, 2200 overcast, 8 miles, wind south-southeast 22, gusts to 30, altimeter 2925; Seattle-Tacoma - measured 1900 broken with 3100 over-cast." Flight 841 acknowledged this clearance and reported leaving 7,000 feet at 2040. Two minutes later, at 2042, it reported being over the outer marker and leaving the 6,000-foot level. No report of leaving the 5,000-foot level was made and at 2045 the flight advised it was leaving 4,000 feet. When the latter was acknowledged by approach control the flight was further advised as follows: "If you're not VFR by the tine you reach the range you can shuttle on the northwest course at 2,000 feet, it's possible you'll break out in the vicinity of Boeing Field for a south landing." The flight acknowledged at 2050 and said it was leaving 3,000 feet. At the time N 86574 was making the approach to Boeing Field, a Pan American DC-4 aircraft was also approaching this airport from the northwest. The latter aircraft had been advised by approach control that it was No. 2 to land behind the Flying Tiger aircraft in the traffic pattern. The Pan American aircraft its making a routine let-down on the northwest leg on the Seattle range and at 2054 reported being at the 3,000-foot level and VFR. Immediately after receiving this altitude report approach control called N 86574 and advised: "You're clear to contact Boeing Tower on 118.3 for landing instructions." This was acknowledged by "Roger" and was the last known contact with the Flying Tiger aircraft. At approximately 2055, N 86574 crashed about 11 miles east of the Seattle range station at the base of Squak Mountain. All seven occupants were killed and the aircraft was demolished by impact and the ensuing fire.

The crew performed their “before takeoff check", found all components of the aircraft to operate normally, and then, at 0329, rolled onto the runway for takeoff. From the tower, the aircraft appeared to accelerate slowly and to take an excessively long period of time to become airborne. The pilots stated that the engines operated normally, developing 45-inch hg. of manifold pressure and 2700 RPH (revolutions per minute), but air speed increased slowly. Between 90 and 100 miles per hour, and just before the end of the runway was reached, the aircraft was pulled off the runway by Captain Robins as he applied back pressure on the control column. After take-off, the highest air speed attained was between 100 and 105 miles per hour. The landing gear, control was placed in the “up” position,when the flight became airborne, and a climb was made to about 100 feet. During the climb, the aircraft shuddered severely. Altitude was lost, and the aircraft struck an obstruction light on the top of a 40-foot electric light pole which was 1,910 feet south of the end of the runway. The aircraft struck three more pole, then touched ground and skidded for 350 feet. It came to a full stop 2,791 feet from the south end, and in line Runway 17. The crash landing was made in an alley way of a residential district located between Stapleton Air Field and the Lowry Air Force Base, which is located 1-1/4 miles south of Stapleton. In addition to striking the electric light poles, the aircraft knocked down several fences, a small tool shed, and collided into two parked automobiles. Crash and fire equipment which was dispatched from both the Stapleton and Lowry Airports and the city of Denver arrived promptly. Partly as a result of their precautionary action, no fire occurred.