Transcontinental %26 Western Air - TWA

Douglas DC-3

The flight was cleared to Burbank Airport for a standard instrument approach. During the approach the plane descended under instrument conditions to such a low altitude as to clip the tree tops and strike a power line pole and then crash at a point approximately 6 1/2 miles short of the Burbank Airport. In a normal approach the plane would have flown over this point at an altitude of about 1650 feet above the ground. The specific reasons for the plane's descent below the minimums for instrument approach were not determinable, nor was it possible to tell whether the deviation was a voluntary one. Investigation did reveal, however, that a number of divisions were made from the company's standard Civil Aeronautics Administration approved procedures during this flight. Both pilots and six passengers were killed. Crew: John Pollard Snowden, pilot, † Thomas Leo Bamberger, copilot, † Donna Elizabeth Marr, hostess.

Douglas DC-3

Flight 8 took off at 1600 and proceeded according to plan to a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet for Burbank on an instrument clearance. It reported over Fresno on schedule cruising at 10,000 feet and estimated Bakersfield at 1735. At 1712 the crew was last contacted by the company and given a routine message which was acknowledged. Thereafter, at intervals of a few minutes, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to contact the flight. At no time did the captain report any difficulty with the airplane or comment on the weather. While cruising in poor weather conditions (thunderstorm and severe turbulence), the aircraft went out of control, got inverted and dove into the ground prior to crash in a field. All 24 occupants were killed.

Douglas DC-3

A mid-air collision involving aircraft of United States registry, a Douglas DC3, NC18951, and a US Army aircraft, type C-53, registered 41-20116, occurred at an altitude of between 3,500 and 3,900 feet about 4 1/4 miles northeast of the Kansas City Range Station and 1 3/4 miles north of the on course of the northeast leg of the Kansas City Radio Range. At the time of the accident, NC18951 was operating on a check flight in the vicinity of the Kansas City Municipal Airport as a part of the routine instrument flight instruction of Transcontinental & Western Air. The C-53 was on a non-stop cross-country flight from Indianapolis to Wichita via Kansas City, in the service of the US Army Air Forces. The DC-3 received major damage from the collision in the air and was demolished by the resultant crash landing in a group of small trees in the vicinity of Linden, Kansas. The C-53 received major damage as a result of the collision but succeeded in landing at the Kansas City Municipal Airport without further damage. The DC-3 captain sustained minor injuries. None of the 5 other persons involved was injured.

Douglas DC-3

About fifteen minutes after take off from Las Vegas Airport, while leveling off by night, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Potosi located 51 km southwest of Las Vegas. All 22 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 7,700 feet while the summit of the mountain is about 8,500 feet. The visibility was reduced by night. Among the victims was the American actress Carole Lombard, aged 33. Crew: Wayne C. Williams, pilot, M. A. Gillette, copilot, Alice Frances Getz, stewardess. Source & photos: http://www.lostflights.com/Commercial-Aviation/11642-TWA-TWA-Douglas-DC-3/5007934_mqCvFr

Douglas DC-3

On final approach in poor visibility due to fog and snow falls, while flying at 200 feet, pilots missed the runway 01 and applied full power on both engines to go around. After overflying the runway 01 for several yards, the captain made a turn at low height for a landing on runway 04 when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed. As twelve occupants were injured, one crew member and one passenger were killed. Crew: P. T. W. Scott, pilot, O. J. DioGuardi, copilot, Mary T. Eshbach, stewardess.

Douglas DC-2

The approach was completed in a poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, turbulence, strong winds and heavy rain falls. On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Douglas DC-3

Shortly after take off, crew encountered problems and left engine partially failed. Captain decided to return to the airport but realized this was impossible. He took the decision to attempt an emergency landing in a field near the airport. While contacting the ground, aircraft slid on several yards before coming to rest. All eleven occupants escaped without injury while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Crew: Harold Hess, pilot, Bronson White, copilot, Olga C. Harbaugh, stewardess.

Douglas DC-2

Aircraft ledft San Francisco Airport around 1930LT in good weather conditions. Two hours later, crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions and requested ATC to divert to Los Angeles. At this time, storm activity and icing conditions were reported by the crew. Two minutes later, the aircraft crashed on Mt Buena Vista located in the Yosemite National Park, near Wawona. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft. Walkers eventually found the debris and all dead bodies on 12JUN1938. Crew: John Graves, pilot, C. W. Wallace, copilot, Martha Mae Wilson, stewardess. Passengers: Mr. and Mrs. Walts, Mr. V. Krause, Jay Tracy Dirlam, Mary Louise Dirlam, M. H. Salisbury, a TWA pilot.

Douglas DC-2

On final approach to Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Airport, while at a height of 500 feet, the aircraft banked left and crashed short of runway. All 13 occupants were killed.

Douglas DC-2

Difficulty was first encountered in the vicinity of Goshen, Indiana, approximately 100 miles from Chicago, when the oil pressure on the left engine raised to 90 lbs. and then gradually dropped to below 50 lbs. As the altitude at this time was about 3000 feet, the pilot climbed to 4000 feet on both engines and throttled the left engine back. He continued to climb on up to 4700 feet using the right engine alone. He advised Columbus of his trouble and was given the option of landing at South Bend, Indiana. He elected to proceed on to Chicago, his reasons for this being that direct radio communication with the South Bend airport was impossible and the lighting there was not as good as at Chicago. The flight continued until within the vicinity of Chicago Municipal Airport, with the right propeller in high pitch, the left engine stopped and the left gasoline valve shut off to save fuel. At this time, Pilot Smith requested and obtained clearance from the control tower to come into the field. He was granted the right of way over other aircraft. The surface wind over the airport was eight miles per hour. However, due to a recent thunderstorm, it was gusty and at an altitude of 2000 feet, increased to a velocity of 34 miles per hour. In approaching the airport at an elevation of about 2000 feet, using the right engine only, the wing flaps and undercarriage were lowered and the air-speed was reduced to about 80 miles per hour in preparation for landing. The winds above the airport were much stronger than the pilot had anticipated and it soon became apparent that the airplane was losing altitude too fast to reach the airport. The pilot attempted to correct this situation by use of the one engine. The effect was to turn the airplane to the left and, due to the reduced air-speed, full control movement proved ineffective against it. Before the speed of the airplane could be increased by Getting the flaps and undercarriage raised and the left engine started, it became evident that it would be impossible to reach the airport and the pilot attempted to head due south and land in an open area. The right wing struck a tree, causing the airplane to collide with a house and then strike the ground. While the aircraft was destroyed, all occupants were injured.

Douglas DC-2

Crew started the descent to Pittsburgh-Allegheny County from the southeast in poor weather conditions. While descending to 3,800 feet south of Uniontown, the aircraft hit the Mt Chestnut Ridge located near Fairchance. A stewardess and a passenger were seriously injured while all 12 other occupants were killed. Crew: Otto Ferguson, pilot, Harry C. Lewis, copilot, Nelly H. Granger, stewardess, M. C. Ellenstein, stewardess.

Douglas DC-2

Left Albuquerque at 1231LT and climb to 9,300 feet. While the crew was trying to change the fuel feed to the left auxiliary tank, the left engine failed. Shortly later, the right engine failed as well. Crew reduced his altitude and elected to make an emergency landing, but unfortunately, the aircraft was cruising over a wooded area. Eventually, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a rocky field located some 48 kilometers east from Albuquerque. All eleven occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The failure of the engines was found to be due to the presence of a large amount of water in the 80 octane fuel with which the plane had been serviced at Albuquerque. A check of the fuel storage system at Albuquerque disclosed that on 5000 gallon underground tank contained about 200 gallons of water. After extensive tests, it was found that with a certain amount of water in the fuel pit, pumping fuel from the underground storage tank would cause water to syphen from the fuel pit into the tank through an air vent running between the two. On the afternoon of the preceding day there had been an unusual amount of rainfall which had flooded the concrete apron and filled the fuel pit with water.

Douglas DC-2

While cruising ten kilometres west from Macon, Missouri, in bad weather conditions, pilots elected to contact the base in Kansas City without any success. In low visibility due to fog, crew was unable to locate his position and eventually elected to make an emergency landing in an open field. But the aircraft hit the ground and crashed. Senator of New Mexico Bronson M. Cutting was killed with two other passengers and both pilots.

Northrop Alpha 4

Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot was injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Consolidated Fleetster 20A

The pilot was performing a night mail 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 post crash fire.

Northrop Alpha 4

While on a night cargo flight from Winslow to Los Angeles, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was found safe a day later.

Northrop Alpha 4

While on a mail flight, the pilot decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The single engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in Saint Clairsville, west of Wheeling, and was destroyed. The pilot was uninjured.

Lockheed 5 Vega

Crashed following an inflight brake up, maybe caused by a structural failure. Occupant fate unknown. The aircraft was a DL-1, a duralumin version of the Vega 5C.

Northrop Alpha 4

The pilot departed Pittsburgh on a night cargo flight to Harrisburg. En route, weather conditions worsened with snow falls. Ice accumulated on wings and airframe so the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was destroyed.

Northrop Alpha 4

The pilot departed Harrisburg on a night cargo flight to Pittsburgh. En route, weather conditions worsened with snow falls. Ice accumulated on wings and airframe so the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was destroyed.

Ford 5

While on a night flight from Amarillo to Albuquerque, weather conditions deteriorated with thunderstorm activity. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on the the south slope of Mt Mesa, south of Tucumcari. All five occupants were killed.

Lockheed 9 Orion

Shortly after takeoff from Kansas City Airport, while climbing, the engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the Missouri River. The pilot Earl J. Noe was killed.

Northrop Alpha 4

While on a night mail flight from New York to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He got lost and eventually decided to bail out because the airplane ran out of fuel. He abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located near Cross Fork. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Ford 5

En route from San Francisco to Los Angeles, the aircraft suffered an in-flight fire. The crew diverted to Bakersfield Airport. After touchdown, the airplane rolled for few dozen yards before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All nine occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Northrop Alpha 4

Shortly after a night takeoff from Pittsburgh Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

Ford 5

The crew was completing the approach to Amarillo-English Field Airport in a reduced visibility due to heavy snow falls. Upon landing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, coming to rest upside down in a snow covered field. Both crew members were killed.

Northrop Alpha 4

Shortly after takeoff from St Louis Airport, while climbing to a height of 1,000 feet, a propeller blade detached then the engine separated. The pilot bailed out and abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a field. The pilot was uninjured.

Northrop Alpha 3

While on a night cargo flight from Columbus to Pittsburgh, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. He decided to bail and abandoned the aircraft when the cords of his parachute got stuck in the fuselage. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in the Ohio River in Steubenville. The pilot was killed and the passenger female was never recovered.

Northrop Alpha 4

En route from Wichita to Amarillo on a night cargo flight, weather conditions deteriorated and the pilot got lost. Due to fuel exhaustion, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted the embankment of a railway line and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped uninjured.

Ford 4

Crashed on takeoff from Oklahoma City Airport, while performing a position flight to Amarillo with one engine inoperative. The copilot was killed while the captain was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Ford 5

On approach to Pittsburgh Airport, the crew encountered bad weather with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. On final, the airplane went out of control and crashed short of runway. It was damaged beyond repair and all eight occupants were uninjured.

Fokker F10

The aircraft departed Kansas City Airport at 0915LT bound for Wichita. At 1022LT, the copilot reported his position south of Emporia. At this time, weather conditions were poor with snow falls, drizzle, icing conditions, clouds and mist. The three engine airplane started to lose altitude then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all eight occupants were killed, among them the US football player and trainer Knute Rockne. Crew: Robert Fry, captain, Jesse Mathias, copilot. Passengers: Knute Kenneth Rockne, H. J. Christiansen, J. H. Hooper, W. B. Miller, F. Goldthwaite, C. A. Lobrech.

Ford 5

On final approach to Harrisburg Airport, the airplane was too low and struck an embankment short of runway. The right main gear and the right engine were torn off and the aircraft came to rest in a grassy area. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.