Albany – Buffalo
Flight / Schedule
Albany – Buffalo
Aircraft
Fairchild FC-2Registration
NC3780
MSN
39
Year of Manufacture
1928
Operator
Colonial Western AirwaysDate
January 8, 1928 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Rural Grove New York
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
42.8481°, -74.4410°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On January 8, 1928 at 12:00 AM, Albany – Buffalo experienced a crash involving Fairchild FC-2, operated by Colonial Western Airways, with the event recorded near Rural Grove New York.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
3 people were known to be on board, 3 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: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. Few minutes after takeoff from Albany, while cruising southwest of Amsterdam, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While flying at low altitude, apparently to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the single engine aircraft hit tree tops in the Rural Grove State Forest and crashed. All three occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration NC3780, MSN 39, year of manufacture 1928.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 42.8481°, -74.4410°.
Fatalities
Total
3
Crew
1
Passengers
2
Other
0
Crash Summary
Few minutes after takeoff from Albany, while cruising southwest of Amsterdam, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While flying at low altitude, apparently to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the single engine aircraft hit tree tops in the Rural Grove State Forest and crashed. All three occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
2
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 3
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Albany – Buffalo
Operator
Colonial Western AirwaysFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
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