Evening star., 1947-06-09
CAB Probes Of Plane Crashes
Used to Promote Air Safety

arose when company ground per-
sonnel failed to get and transmit
Important weather information to
the pilot. This negligence" on the
part of the company did not relieve
the pilot Of his responsibility to con-
duct a safe flight although it did
put him in a "disadvantageous
position"
Pilots Blamed in Crashes.
On February 23. 1916. an Ameri-
can Airlines Dc-3 crashed on the
wooded summit of Glade Mountain
near Rural Retreat, Va, killing is
Eof the 10 passengers and both pilots
and seriously injuring the other four
passengers and the hostess. Probable
cause: The pilots failure properly
to plan the flight and remain at a
safe instrument altitude. A con-
tributing cause was the company's
laxity in dispatching and supervising
the flight.
On April IA, 1s45, Pennsylvania
Central Airlines DC-3 crashed
against the west slope of Cheat
Mountain near Morgantown. w. Va.
killing all II passengers and three
Eerew members. Probable cause: The
pilots action in continuing the flight
over mountainous terrain under in
Istrument conditions below the mini
mum altitude for instrument flying
On July u, 1945, an Eastern All
Lines DC-3 collided in mid-air with
an Army Air Forces A-26 near Flor
Ience, S. c., killing one occupant oil
the commercial plane and two occu-
pants of the Army aircraft and in
juring three passengers and -four
crew members of the airliner. Prob
able cause: The lack of vigilance OF
both pilots resulting in their failure
to see each others planes in time
to avoid collision.
Sinkingsat Martinique.
On August 3, l945, Pan Ameri-
can Airways S-43 crashed and sank
in 100 feet of water while landing
at Fort de France, Martinique, with
the result that four passengers were
drowned. Probable cause: The pi-
lots attempt to land the aircraft
when the surface of the water was
unsuitable for landing flying boat
Contributing causes were the fail
.ure of the French meteorological
station to keep its weather report
current; the failure of ground per-
sonnel to advise the pilot safe
landing would be extremely difficult
and the failure of the company to
provide adequate procedures for
letting plane down between the
minimum instrument altitude en-
route and the minimum contact
landing requirements.
On September 7, 1945, an Eastern
Air Lines DC-3 crashed near Flor
ence, S. c., killing all 10 passengers
and the three crew members. Prob
able cause: Fire of undetermined
origin in the rear cargo compart-
ment of lavatory which made the
pilot unable to maintain altitude
long enough to land the plane.
On October S, l945, a National
AirlineS LodeStar crashed into lake
adjoining the Lakeland tFla) air
port, resulting in the drowning OF
two passengers and injury to others
Probable cause. The pilots faulty
execution of "missed-approach'
procedure in attempting to land
The company training program and
facilities were considered made
quate to give pilots sufficient compe-
tence on the Lodestar.
On December 80. l945, an Eastern
Air Lines DC-3 attempting to land
at La Guardia Field crashed through
building at the end of the runway
and came to rest in Flushing Bay
with the result that one passenger
was drowned, one was seriously in
jured and IL others slightly injured.
Probable cause: The pilots action
in attempting landing from an ap-
proach which was too high and too
fast.
meeting simultaneously in Seoul
and Pyongyang, will conduct the
consultations.