Accident Douglas C-54B-1-DC (DC-4) NC34537,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 336447
 

Date:Wednesday 2 March 1949
Time:02:44
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Douglas C-54B-1-DC (DC-4)
Owner/operator:Transcontinental & Western Air - TWA
Registration: NC34537
MSN: 10454
Year of manufacture:1944
Total airframe hrs:7883 hours
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney R-2000-9
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 33
Aircraft damage: Substantial, repaired
Category:Accident
Location:Gander Airport, NL (YQX) -   Canada
Phase: Landing
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA)
Destination airport:Gander Airport, NL (YQX/CYQX)
Investigating agency: CAB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
TWA Flight 924 departed LaGuardia Field at 20:22, March 1, 1949, for Bombay, India, with the first scheduled stop at Gander. At 02:06 the next day the plane passed into the Gander control area and reported over Round Pond, 95 miles southwest of Gander Airport. At 02:30 the aircraft was cleared to the Gander tower to make a GCA (Ground Control Approach) straight-in approach, using runway 09, and was advised that the surface wind was variable from the northeast to east-north-east at 15-20 miles per hour. The 02:30 weather was transmitted to the flight by GCA and acknowledged as 400 feet overcast, visibility two miles, light freezing drizzle, light snow and fog, altimeter 29.64. The aircraft was identified thirteen miles west of the field, and was further advised to start its final approach. Considerable rime ice accumulated during the descent through the overcast obscuring the co-pilots windshield and largely obscuring the windshield on the captains side. Flight 924 established visual contact at approximately 400 feet above the ground while two miles from the airport. The landing gear was then lowered and the flaps set to fifteen degrees preparatory to landing. Approximately 1,615 feet from the approach end of runway 09 the aircraft struck a power line and then contacted the ground. Full power was applied, the aircraft again became fully airborne and continued to the runway where a landing was made.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the attempt to continue an approach for a landing using both GCA and visual reference to the ground under conditions of restricted cockpit visibility which resulted in the aircraft striking the ground."

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: CAB
Report number: final report
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

CAB File No: 1-0032

Location

Revision history:

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