Cleveland – Albany – Newark

On May 30, 1934 at 01:30 AM, Cleveland – Albany – Newark experienced a crash involving Boeing 247, operated by United Airlines, with the event recorded near Bethel Connecticut.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

12 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 12 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 9, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The airplane departed Cleveland on a scheduled service to Newark with an intermediate stop in Albany, carrying nine passengers and three crew members. While descending to Newark at night, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and poor visibility due to low clouds and ground fog. Unable to locate the airport, the crew decided to fly to the north and to divert to Danbury-Tucker Field Airport. While approaching Danbury, CT, weather conditions were also marginal and the crew was unable to establish a contact with the people on duty at the airport. At that time, the airport was not illuminated. The crew followed several circuits over the area and attempted a blind landing but fuel reserves were low. On final approach, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Bethel, some 5 km short of runway. All 12 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Crew: John Wolf, pilot, Lorenz Letson, copilot. Agnes Pugh, stewardess. Passengers: George H. Gleason, Mrs. Margaret Anderson, William Sirota, W. J. Katz, H. S. Howland, H. H. Herwitz, Mitchell Greene, George Cochrane, James Burns.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC13334, MSN 1716, year of manufacture 1933.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.3712°, -73.4140°.