Michigan

The C-46 Commando had been cleared for a runway 03L ILS approach at Detroit in poor weather (sky obscured, visibility 1 mile, light drizzle). During the approach, at 1,5 miles right of the ILS course and 1 mile NE of the Outer Marker, the aircraft suddenly entered a 45° bank left turn. The bank angle exceeded 60° as the plane crossed the localizer course from left to right. The aircraft struck several 84 feet tall trees in an 8° nose down and 30° right bank attitude, struck the ground and disintegrated. In the investigation an incapacitation of the captain was considered, but not supported by postmortem examination.

The crew was engaged in a cargo flight from Detroit to Wilmington and the aircraft was loaded to about 20 pounds under the maximum allowable gross weight of 48,000 pounds. After takeoff from runway 21L, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft suffered vibrations then stalled and crashed in a field located 2,050 feet pas the runway end. It slid for about 448 feet before coming to rest with its both wings partially sheared off. Both pilots were evacuated and the aircraft was written off.

En route from Detroit to Akron, Ohio, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere between both cities, maybe in Michigan. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 4 occupants was found.

The crew departed Selfridge AFB on a refuelling mission, carrying a load of 9,500 gallons of fuel. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The aircraft lost height, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion few km from the airfield. On impact, few debris scattered around and struck several houses and a mill. The aircraft disintegrated and all five crew members were killed. There were no injuries on the ground.
Crew:
Lt John C. Bibble, pilot,
Cpt Lydell M. Haygood, pilot,
T/Sgt Robert E. Derby, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Ernest J. Lemoine III, boom operator,
Lt Robert L. Lewis, navigator.

At 2306, four minutes after takeoff, the flight, pursuant to clearance instructions, reported to Flight tower that it was at 3,600 feet and was departing the Flint outer marker. At this time the tower requested the estimated time of arrive at Tri-City and was advised that it was 2315. Flight 67 was then given the following clearance: "ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) clears Capital 67 to hold north of the Saginaw omni range, one minute pattern, right turn, maintain 3,600 feet. Expect further clearance 2320, change to company frequency for this clearance." This clearance was acknowledged and, as per instructions, the frequency was changed to that of the company at Detroit. At 2310, Capital at Detroit relayed the following clearance to the flight: "ARTC clears Flight 67 for approach at Saginaw (Tri-City) Airport. Report time on the ground to Saginaw radio." These instructions were verified. The flight then called Saginaw ATCS (Air Traffic Communication Station) and was given the local 2300 weather observation and the runway in use, No. 5. The Tri-City Airport does not have a traffic control tower. The 2300 Saginaw weather was reported as: Measured ceiling 900 feet, overcast, visibility 3 miles, light snow showers, temperature 34; dewpoint 33; wind north-northeast 18, peak gusts to 27 knots; altimeter 29.48, comments--drizzle ended and snow showers began at 2225. At 2316 Trip 67 advised Saginaw radio that it was over the airport. A short time later, ground witnesses observed the lights of the aircraft when it was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The aircraft was seen to make a left turn onto base leg and at this time the landing lights of the aircraft were observed to come on. During this portion of the approach the aircraft was flying beneath the overcast, estimated to be 900 feet, and appeared to be descending. When turning on final, Trip 67 flew a short distance beyond the extended centerline of the runway and the turf was seen to steepen for realignment with the runway. Soon after this the aircraft was observed to level off and then to descend steeply and strike the ground. A large fire immediately erupted. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 47 occupants have been killed.

The aircraft was on its way from Miramar to Detroit, carrying a crew of seven. They made a stop at Albuquerque to carry the body of a USN pilot who was killed in an accident two days earlier. While descending to Willow Run Airport, the pilot briefed his crew about the minimums and confirmed that if runway was not in sight at 800 feet, they will divert to Grosse Isle NAS. The approach was completed in a low visibility due to snow falls and a ceiling at 550 feet when the airplane hit the ground near a pond, lost an engine and crashed in flames in an open field located about two miles short of runway 05. LCDR William E. Sale was killed while six others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was performing a training mission from Minneapolis to Griffiss AFB when an engine failed in flight. All eight occupants decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field located one mile southeast of Flushing, Michigan. Seven crew members were evacuated while the eight occupant died as his parachute failed to open.

The flight 2501, was scheduled to operate between the terminal points of New York, N. Y., and Seattle, Wash, via intermediate points of Minneapolis, Minn., and Spokane, Wash. At approximately 1931 the flight departed from LaGuardia Airport for Minneapolis with a crew consisting of Robert C. Lind, captain, Verne F. Wolfe, first officer, and Bonnie A. Feldman, stewardess. On board were 55 passengers, 2, 500 gallons of fuel, 80 gallons of oil, and 490 pounds of express, which resulted in an aircraft weight of 71, 342 pounds for takeoff. This was 58 pounds below the maximum permissible takeoff weight, and the load was distributed so that the center of gravity was within approved limits. The flight plan filed with ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) specified a cruising altitude of 6 000 feet to Minneapolis. An altitude of 4,000 feet had been originally requested because of forecast en route thunderstorms, but denied by ARTC because other traffic was assigned at that level. At 2149, when over Cleveland, Ohio, a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet was again requested by the flight and this time approved by ARTC. Forty minutes later the flight was requested by ARTC to descend to 3, 500 feet because there was an eastbound flight at 5,000 feet over Lake Michigan which was experiencing severe turbulence and difficulty in maintaining its assigned altitude. ARTC estimated that the two flights would pass each other in the vicinity of Battle Creek, Mich., and that the standard separation of 1,000 feet would not be sufficient because of the turbulence. At 2251, Flight 2501 reported that it was over Battle Creek at 3,500 feet, and that it would be over Milwaukee at 2337. When in the vicinity of Benton Harbor, at 2313, the flight requested a cruising altitude of 2,500 feet, however, no reason was given for the request. ARTC was unable to approve this altitude because of other traffic. Acknowledgement that ARTC could not approve descent to 2,500 feet was received at 2315, and this was the last communication received from the flight. At 2337, Northwest Radio at Milwaukee advised the company at LaGuardia and Minneapolis, and ARTC at Chicago, that the flight was ten minutes overdue since they had incorrectly copied the 2251 flight report as 2327. At 2345 Northwest Radio at Milwaukee transmitted to the flight instructions to circle the range station at Madison, Wis., if its radio transmitter was inoperative. During the same period, all CAA (Civil Aeronautics Administration) radio stations in the Chicago-Minneapolis area tried to contact the flight on all frequencies. At 2358, Chicago ARTC, at the request of Northwest Airlines, alerted air-sea rescue facilities in the area, which included the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and the state police of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. The missing aircraft was assumed to have been involved in an accident at 0530 since the fuel supply at that time would have been exhausted. An intensive search of the Lake Michigan area was commenced at daylight June 24. On the following day, at 1830, the United States Coast Guard cutter Woodbine found an oil slick, aircraft debris, and the aircraft log book in Lake Michigan approximately 18 miles north-northwest of Benton Harbor. At 0530, June 25, underwater search operations were conducted with divers and sonar equipment. Divers descended at the points where strong sonar contacts were made. At those locations, the lake bottom was 150 feet below the surface of the water and was covered by a layer of silt and mud estimated to be 30 to 40 feet deep. Visibility was less than eight inches. The possibility of locating anything was slight, and movement was severely restricted. In addition to diving operations, the entire area was dragged with grapnel but without results. After two days of operation, the Navy suspended their search because of the difficult conditions, and because nothing had been found which would indicate that the aircraft could be recovered. Since then, the Coast Guard and aircraft flying in that area have maintained a sea and air surveillance. The only parts of the aircraft that were recovered were those with sufficient buoyancy to float a fuel tank float, foam rubber cushions, arm rests, clothing, blankets, pillows, pieces of luggage, cabin lining, plywood flooring and other wooden parts. The cushions and arm rests, shredded from impact forces and cutting edges of the fuselage, indicated that the aircraft struck the water at high speed. A plywood oxygen bottle support bracket, which had been installed in the forward left side of the fuselage, showed that the inertia forces acted in a forward, downward, and to the left direction. There was no sign of fire found on any parts recovered. All 58 occupants have been killed.

The aircraft was returning to Selfridge AFB after taking part to a SAR mission following the USAF C-54 missing since January 26 over Yukon. Upon landing, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft slid on its belly and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Due to snow conditions the flight was delayed at Dunkirk for several hours. During this time the crew obtained weather information and had the aircraft serviced with 230 gallons of fuel. Two known attempts to take off from Dunkirk were made, at 0215, and at 0405 but these were discontinued after a short take-off run because of the accumulation of snow on the aircraft. This snow had accumulated during the time the aircraft was on the ground. A special weather forecast requested from New York and delivered to the crew at 0355, predicted that between Dunkirk and Detroit ceilings would be 3,000 to 4,000 feet MSL, visibility seven miles or more, and that there would be icing in the clouds. At 0808, Captain Dede filed with Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control an IFR flight plan which described a route to Detroit by way of Clear Creek, Canada, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, with Cleveland, Ohio, being designated as the alternate airport. Twenty-nine minutes later, at 0837, the flight took off from Dunkirk. There was sufficient fuel aboard to fly three hours and 40 minutes, and the computed elapsed time to Detroit was one hour and 50 minutes. At this time the total gross weight of the aircraft was 27,050 pounds which was 150 pounds above the allowable limit. Routine progress reports were mad, by the flight when over Clear Creek and Windsor, Canada, and at 0954, Detroit Air Route Traffic Control cleared the flight to contact Detroit City Airport Approach Control Instructions were given the flight by Approach Control and Runway 25 was designated as the runway in use. The flight was also advised that the visibility, restricted by snow showers and smoke, was one mile, and that the surface wind was 15 miles per hour from the southwest. The Detroit City Airport tower controller first observed the aircraft one mile east southeast of the airport with its landing gear down, flying on an approximate heading of 300 degrees and at an altitude estimated to be 700 feet above the ground. When the flight was almost over the field, it requested permission to make a left circle of the air port before landing. Clearance to do this was granted and again the flight was instructed to land on Runway 25. The flight passed directly over the airport, turned left and then flew on an easterly heading until it was approximately three quarters of a mile east of the approach end of the runway. Here it was seen to make a steep left turn and change direction approximately 180 degrees. Although the aircraft straightened out from this turn, it continued to lose altitude until it struck the chimney of a house in a residential district of Detroit approximately 3,200 feet east of the airport. The aircraft then struck and demolished a second house approximately 45 feet west of the first house. Fire developed which partially destroyed the aircraft. Both pilots and one person on the ground were killed.