Chicago – Minneapolis – Fargo – Billings – Butte – Spokane – Seattle

On October 30, 1941 at 02:04 AM, Chicago – Minneapolis – Fargo – Billings – Butte – Spokane – Seattle experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-3, operated by Northwest Airlines, with the event recorded near Moorhead Minnesota.

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.

15 people were known to be on board, 14 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 93.3%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 12, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. On approach to Fargo, the aircraft became unstable, pitched up and down. The captain decided to increase the engine power but the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a prairie located in Moorhead. The aircraft was destroyed by a post impact fire and a pilot survived while all 14 other occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC21712, MSN 2124, year of manufacture 1939.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 46.8739°, -96.7539°.