Country
United States of America
code

PA

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Pittsburgh: 13 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1937 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13730
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Newark – Camden – Pittsburgh – Chicago
MSN:
1256
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
TW015A
Location:
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
On final approach to Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Airport, at a height of 500 feet, the aircraft rolled to the left, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed short of runway. All 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined by the US Bureau of Air Commerce that ice had built up on its wings and in the slot between the edge of its ailerons and the wing tips, and that the latter condition must have changed the airfoil contour and disrupted the flow of air around the structure, leading to a loss of control. Soon after this accident, improved deicing equipment was announced to help deal with the threat to aircraft caused by the build up of ice.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Milford

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1936 at 2047 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13732
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Miami – Charleston – Newark
MSN:
1258
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
EA014
Location:
Milford
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Newark from the west, the aircraft was passing successively 6,000, 4,000 and 2,000 feet. The pilot was unable to localize Camden and was unaware of his real position due to marginal weather conditions. While descending to 1,400 feet, the left wing impacted trees. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area located on a hill some four miles northeast of Milford. All 11 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable caused of this accident were:
Error on the part of the pilot for attempting to get down under the overcast without first definitely proving his position,
Improper dispatching for clearing the flight into an area of predicted bad weather, particularly when the area cleared through did not permit a safe return, and
Static conditions encountered which rendered reception of the radio range signals over the airplane's range receivers unintelligible.

Crash of a Stinson SM-6000B in Pittsburgh: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1936 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SM-6000
Operator:
Pittsburgh Skyways
Registration:
NC11175
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
MSN:
5025
YOM:
1931
Location:
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane was chartered to perform a night local sightseeing flight over Pittsburgh with 10 passengers and one pilot on board. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, all three engine stopped. The airplane stalled and crashed. A female passenger aged 17 survived with serious injuries while 10 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
All three engines failed after the fuel supply was cut off, and there were indications that the pilot had then allowed the Stinson to lose flying speed while attempting an off-airport forced landing, the accident occurring in darkness. It was considered possible by the US Bureau of Air Commerce that the passenger who had been sitting on two flare containers in the cockpit had precipitated the crash by inadvertently switching off the fuel selector valve with her heel.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Fairchance: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1936 at 1020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13721
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Newark – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh – Kansas City – Los Angeles
MSN:
1247
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
TW001
Location:
Fairchance
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew initiated the descent to Pittsburgh-Allegheny County from the southeast in poor weather conditions. While descending to the altitude of 3,800 feet south of Uniontown, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Chestnut Ridge located 5 km from Fairchance. A stewardess and a passenger were seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Otto Ferguson, pilot, †
Harry C. Lewis, copilot, †
Nelly H. Granger, stewardess.
Passengers:
Donald D. August,
S. W. Bayersdorfer, †
C. G. Challinor, †
C. R. d'Arcy, †
Robert Evans, †
Frank Hardiman, †
George W. Hefferman, †
Crawford T. Kelly, †
John O'Neill, †
Charles H. Smith, †
M. C. Ellenstein.
Probable cause:
Blamed for the accident was poor judgement on the part of the pilot-in-command for flying by reference to the ground after having descended through the overcast and over the hazardous terrain without determining his position. His failure to follow the radio range course while operating in IMC violated both his company’s and US Department of Commerce’s regulations. An additional factor was that NC13721 had encountered crosswind drift, and at the time of impact had been about 15 NM south of the intended track, its crew apparently unaware of the discrepancy. No evidence was found of any prior mechanical failure in the aircraft or malfunctioning of the ground navigational aids. Subsequent to this crash, the Department of Commerce modified the Pittsburgh radio range, discontinuing the simultaneous voice broadcasts, moved the loop-type radio range beacon from that location to Akron, Ohio, and increased the power at the station located at Buckstown, Pennsylvania.
Final Report:

Crash of a Keystone B-6A near Fredericksburg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1936 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Keystone LB-6
Operator:
Registration:
32-173
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pottstown – Middletown
Location:
Fredericksburg
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Pottstown to Middletown, while cruising at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 11 km northwest of Fredericksburg. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Stinson Model A in Pittsburgh

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1935 at 0120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Registration:
NC15107
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9107
YOM:
1935
Location:
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night mail flight with one passenger on board. After take off from Pittsburgh-Allegheny County airport, while climbing to a height of 50 feet, the front (central) engine failed. Few seconds later, both other engines (left and right) failed as well. The crew decided to make an emergency landing in an open field. Upon landing, the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. All three occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
A check on the tank four days previously had revealed no water and it appears that fuel taken from the service truck tank at 9 30 p.m. on the night of the accident was free of water. However, shortly before the accident it was refilled with fuel from the storage tank into which rain water and seeped and this was subsequently pumped into the fuel tanks of the aircraft without the presence of the water being detected. It is the opinion of the bureau of Air Commerce that the probable cause of this accident was an abnormal amount of water in the fuel tanks of the aircraft to accidental entry of water into an underground fuel storage tank as a result of a strained fitting.

Crash of a Martin B-10B in Middletown

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-10 (Model 139 & 166)
Operator:
Registration:
34-113
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
644
YOM:
1934
Location:
Middletown
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight, forcing the crew to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed 3 km east of Middletown and was destroyed. Crew fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Consolidated Fleetster 20A in Pittsburgh: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1935 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated Fleetster 20A
Operator:
Registration:
NC13212
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Columbus
MSN:
5
YOM:
1932
Location:
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a night mail/cargo flight. During the stop in Pittsburgh, he was informed by ground staff about the poor weather conditions and icing accumulation on wings and fuselage. The takeoff run was long and the rotation was completed late, after the aircraft rolled all away down the runway. During initial climb, while flying at a height of some 200 feet, the aircraft made a turn to the left and spiraled to the ground. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was poor judgement on the part of the pilot for attempting to take off under existing weather conditions and on the part of the Company for permitting the takeoff.

Crash of a Stinson SM-6000B in New Centerville

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1934 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SM-6000
Operator:
Registration:
NC12135
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Washington DC – Pittsburgh
MSN:
5056
YOM:
1931
Location:
New Centerville
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a night cargo flight from Washington DC to Pittsburgh, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with icing. The airplane lost altitude and while attempting an emergency landing, crashed into a knoll. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.
Probable cause:
Icing.
Subscribe to Pennsylvania