ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3) NC54337 Detroit, MI
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 19 November 1949
Time:10:11
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3)
Operator:Meteor Air Transport
Registration: NC54337
MSN: 20136
First flight: 1944
Total airframe hrs:3416
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Ground casualties:Fatalities: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Detroit, MI (   United States of America)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Dunkirk Airport, NY (DKK/KDKK), United States of America
Destination airport:Detroit City Airport, MI (DET/KDET), United States of America
Flightnumber: 959
Narrative:
Meteor Air Transport's Trip W-959 departed Teterboro, N.J., at 23:38, on an IFR flight plan for Detroit, with a refueling stop at Dunkirk. Due to snow conditions the flight was delayed at Dunkirk for several hours. During this time the crew obtained weather information and had the aircraft serviced with 230 gallons of fuel. Two known attempts to take off from Dunkirk were made, at 02:15, and at 04:05 but these were discontinued after a short takeoff run because of the accumulation of snow on the aircraft. This snow had accumulated during the time the aircraft was on the ground. Finally, at 08:37, the flight took off from Dunkirk. The flight continued to Detroit and at 09:54, Detroit Air Route Traffic Control cleared the flight to contact Detroit City Airport Approach Control. Instructions were given the flight by Approach Control and runway 25 was designated as the runway in use. The flight was also advised that the visibility, restricted by snow showers and smoke, was one mile, and that the surface wind was 15 miles per hour from the southwest. The Detroit City Airport tower controller first observed the aircraft one mile east southeast of the airport with its landing gear down, flying on an approximate heading of 300 degrees and at an altitude estimated to be 700 feet above the ground. When the flight was almost over the field, it requested permission to make a left circle of the airport before landing. Clearance to do this was granted and again the flight was instructed to land on runway 25. The flight passed directly over the airport, turned left and then flew on an easterly heading until it was approximately three quarters of a mile east of the approach end of the runway. Here it was seen to make a steep left turn and change direction approximately 180 degrees. Although the aircraft straightened out from this turn, it continued to lose altitude until it struck the chimney of a house in a residential district of Detroit approximately 3,200 feet east of the airport. The aircraft then struck and demolished a second house approximately 45 feet west of the first house. Fire developed which partially destroyed the aircraft.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's action in making a steep turn on final approach without at the same time maintaining adequate airspeed, causing the aircraft to settle to the ground."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Sources:
» CAB File No. 1-0126


Photos

photo of Douglas-C-47A-NC54337
accident date: 19-11-1949
type: Douglas C-47A (DC-3)
registration: NC54337
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Dunkirk Airport, NY to Detroit City Airport, MI as the crow flies is 305 km (190 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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