Iowa

The aircraft arrived at Cheyenne, Wyoming at 0038, May 22, on a Civil Air Movement flight (military contract) from New York International Airport. The incoming pilots had no mechanical or radio discrepancies to report. After the aircraft was serviced, Captain Bowen F. Marshall and Copilot Samuel B. Aronson relieved the incoming crew for the purpose of ferrying the aircraft to Chicago, at which point, the pilots were to turn it over to another crew. Both pilots visited the U. S. Weather Bureau Airport Station at Cheyenne for weather briefing; all current weather information through 2330 (including three severe weather warnings) was on file and available to them. The aircraft departed Cheyenne at 0132, on an instrument flight plan to O’Hare Airport, Chicago, via Green Airway 3 and Red Airway 42 at 7,000 feet. Neither passengers nor cargo was carried and the center of gravity was within permissible limits. Routine position reports were made over Sidney, North Platte, Grand Island, and Omaha, Nebraska. In the last position report, at 0337, the flight reported to Omaha INSAC (Interstate Airways Communication Station) that it was over Omaha at 7,000 feet, estimating over Des Moines at Ohio. Three minutes later, the pilot again contacted Omaha INSAC and requested a change of altitude to 3,000 feet. Air Route Traffic Control, through Omaha INSAC, advised the flight that the 3,000-foot altitude was unavailable until arrival over Des Moines owing to a westbound flight proceeding at 2,600 feet between Des Moines and Omaha, and the request for descent would have to be disapproved. The flight was given the latest weather information between Omaha and Chicago, and the Des Moines 0327 weather, and there were no further radio contacts after this. Des Moines tower personnel received a telephone call at 0517 notifying them of the crash. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Flight 16 departed Kansas City, Missouri, at 0724LT, bound for Omaha, Nebraska, Sioux City, Iowa, and other intermediate stops with final destination as Minneapolis, Minnesota. The crew consisted of Captain James H. Graham, First Officer Philip K. Toler, and Stewardess Marilyn Woodbury. Ernest F. Eilert, a trainee copilot, was riding in the cockpit as the fourth crew member. From Kansas City, the aircraft carried 21 passengers, cargo, and fuel, which resulted in a total gross weight of 25,100 pounds, which was within the certificated unit of 25,200 pounds The load was properly distributed with relation to the center of gravity of the aircraft. Weather conditions over the intended route were instrument with a general overcast lowering from 4,200 feet at Kansas City to about 1,000 feet at Omaha. No difficulty was experienced as the flight proceeded to Omaha at 4,000 feet in accordance with an instrument flight plan. A normal landing was made on Runway 11 about 1,000 feet from its approach end, but near the completion of the landing roll the aircraft ran off the right side of the runway, passing over one of the high intensity runway lights. Captain Graham reported this to one of the ground crew at Omaha, and both the aircraft and light were inspected for damage. None was found and the aircraft was prepared for departure to Sioux City. At 0841 the flight took off for Sioux City on an instrument flight plan with Omaha as the alternate airport. There were 21 passengers, 920 pounds of cargo, and 1,500 pounds of fuel, which resulted in a take-off weight of 24,630 pounds. The take-off was without incident and no difficulty was encountered en route to Sioux City, the flight proceeding at 3,000 feet altitude. At 0904 Flight 16 reported over the Sloan Fan Marker, 11.9 miles south-southeast of the approach end of Runway 35 at the Sioux City Airport. It was immediately cleared by the Sioux City Airport tower for a “straight-in” approach and landing on Runway 35. Weather information was furnished to the flight as precipitation, ceiling 500 feet, sky obscured, visibility one mile in light snow showers, and wind from the east at 14 miles per hour. The medium-intensity lights for Runway 17/35 were turned on and placed at the position of full brilliance. Following receipt of this information, the flight requested permission to land to the southeast on Runway 13 and received clearance to do so. At 0909 the flight reported that it was contact over the southeast corner of the field and was cleared to land. At the same time the aircraft was seen by a ground witness one mile southeast of the airport. Shortly thereafter, it was sighted approximately over the intersection of Runways 4/22 and 17/35 on an east-southeast heading. A left climbing turned to the north was then made and the pilot was advised that he was cleared to land on either Runway 17 or Runway 13. The pilot was also advised by the tower that there would be a 90-degree cross-wind if he elected to land on Runway 17. All transmissions to the flight were acknowledged The aircraft was not further observed, and crashed about 600 feet north and west of the approach end of Runway 17. Fire developed immediately. Three crew members and 13 passengers were killed while nine other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The aircraft exploded and crashed in a field located near a farm, about 4 miles southwest of Iowa City. Three crew members who were able to bail out survived while three other occupants were killed. The crew was performing a flight from Lone Tree to Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah.

The aircraft left Sioux City Airport at 0028LT bound for the Saint Joseph-Rosecrans Airport, Missouri. While climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 14 km from its departure point. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crewmen were killed.

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to the air base of Hamilton located near San Rafael, California. En route, the aircraft went into a low pressure area with thunderstorm activity and turbulence. Shortly later, the right wing broke off at its root, fell away and hit the rudder that was sheared off as well. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed half a mile west of Rock Falls, killing all five crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Suren Melkonian,
2nd Lt Leon Andrew Place,
Sgt Alfred W. Quinlan,
S/Sgt John E. Quinn,
2nd Lt Robert G. Randtke.

Following an engine failure in flight, the crew bailed out and abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed near Winterset. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Charles W. Himes.

After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the pilot initiated a sharp turn when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field. All five occupants were killed. The pilot was not licensed to carry passengers.

The single engine airplane departed Waterloo Airport on a local pleasance flight, carrying four passengers and one pilot. En route, one wing failed. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in Saint Ansgar. All five occupants were killed.

While on a night mail flight from Chicago to Omaha, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation. He reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

En route from Kansas City to Moline, while approaching Davenport, weather conditions deteriorate with heavy snow falls and icing conditions. The pilot lost his orientation and decided to bail out. He abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot John 'Jack' Barton was uninjured.