Cincinnati – Louisville

On February 12, 1934 at 01:00 PM, Cincinnati – Louisville experienced a crash involving Fairchild Pilgrim 100A, operated by American Airlines, with the event recorded near Danville Kentucky.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 25.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. After taking off from Cincinnati in hazy weather, the pilot lost his bearings and got off course. Landing in a small field to ascertain his position, the pilot attempted to take off from the small rough field but failed to clear telephone wires on the edge of the clearing. Striking the wires, the plane careened into a tree and hurtled to the ground, the motor tearing away and falling some distance from the ship. All four occupants were injured but the pilot Joseph J. 'Joe' Waldron died from his injuries eight days later on February 20. 58 pounds of mail were recovered intact and trucked to Louisville. Pilot Waldron had been a pilot for the American Airways for the past three years. He had an excellent flying record and was a regular pilot of the Cincinnati to Washington run. He had not flown the Cincinnati to Louisville route for some time before the mishap. Crew: Joseph J. 'Joe' Waldron. Passengers: Mrs. Sue Delaney, Mr. William Schneider, R. A. Sharon.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC982M, MSN 6611, year of manufacture 1931.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 37.6456°, -84.7722°.