Cleveland – Columbus – Louisville – Nashville – Memphis – Little Rock – Dallas

Twelve minutes after departure from Louisville Airport, Kentucky, the pilot reported his position to ATC, 32 km southwest from his departure point, flying at 6,000 feet over clouds. Shortly later, the single engine aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Flight / Schedule

Cleveland – Columbus – Louisville – Nashville – Memphis – Little Rock – Dallas

Registration

NC12286

MSN

198

Year of Manufacture

1933

Date

December 22, 1934 at 03:45 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Postal (mail)

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Sunbright Tennessee

Region

North America • United States of America

Coordinates

36.2434°, -84.6699°

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On December 22, 1934 at 03:45 AM, Cleveland – Columbus – Louisville – Nashville – Memphis – Little Rock – Dallas experienced a crash involving Lockheed 9 Orion, operated by American Airlines, with the event recorded near Sunbright Tennessee.

The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Twelve minutes after departure from Louisville Airport, Kentucky, the pilot reported his position to ATC, 32 km southwest from his departure point, flying at 6,000 feet over clouds. Shortly later, the single engine aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC12286, MSN 198, year of manufacture 1933.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 36.2434°, -84.6699°.

Fatalities

Total

1

Crew

1

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Twelve minutes after departure from Louisville Airport, Kentucky, the pilot reported his position to ATC, 32 km southwest from his departure point, flying at 6,000 feet over clouds. Shortly later, the single engine aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Cleveland – Columbus – Louisville – Nashville – Memphis – Little Rock – Dallas

Flight Type

Postal (mail)

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Registration

NC12286

MSN

198

Year of Manufacture

1933

Similar Plane Crashes

May 2, 1918 at 12:00 AM2 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.

June 19, 1918 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.

November 9, 1918 at 12:00 AM

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances.

November 12, 1918 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

November 14, 1918 at 12:00 AM

U.S. Air Mail Service

De Havilland DH.4

Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot fate unknown.

November 20, 1918 at 12:00 PM

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The accident occurred in unknown circumstances.