Date:	Tuesday 28 May 1963
Time:	17:46
Type:	Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation
Owner/operator:	Standard Airways
Registration:	N189S
MSN:	4541
Year of manufacture:	1954
Total airframe hrs:	19803 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 70
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Manhattan Municipal, KS -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:	Daggett-Barstow-Daggett Airport, CA (DAG/KDAG)
Destination airport:	Manhattan Municipal Airport, KS (MHK/KMHK)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Super Constellation was approaching Manhattan runway 21 (VFR) with flaps at 100% and an airspeed of 120 knots. At a height of 170 feet agl the right wing dropped and the aircraft yawed right. Power was added to all four engines, but the plane didn't recover and struck the ground 546 feet short of the runway. The Constellation struck a 3,5 feet high ridge of earth, shearing off the nose- and right main gear legs.
It appeared that the no. 3 prop was in reverse pitch angle on impact; the threaded brake cage locking bolts were missing from the propeller and the cage was backed off 3 full threads from the normal setting. This excessive brake clearance thus obtained rendered the brake propeller control function incapable if normal operations.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The in-flight reversal of the no. 3 propeller due to a propeller power unit malfunction, resulting from improper maintenance practices and inspection procedures."

CAB Accident Report File no. 1-0007
ICAO Accident Digest No.15 - Volume I, Circular 78-AN/66 (93-100)

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