Transcontinental & Western Air - TWA | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crashed on takeoff from Oklahoma City Airport, while performing a position flight to Amarillo with one engine inoperative. The copilot was killed while the captain was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Takeoff attempted with one engine inoperative.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Pittsburgh

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Ford 5

Operator:

Registration:

NC9665

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

5-AT-024

YOM:

1929

Location:

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Pittsburgh Airport, the crew encountered bad weather with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. On final, the airplane went out of control and crashed short of runway. It was damaged beyond repair and all eight occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Fokker F10A in Bazaar: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1931 at 1045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F10

Operator:

Registration:

NC999E

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Kansas City – Wichita – Amarillo – Albuquerque – Winslow – Los Angeles

MSN:

1063

YOM:

1929

Flight number:

TWA599

Location:

Bazaar

Kansas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2000

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Kansas City Airport at 0915LT bound for Wichita. At 1022LT, the copilot reported his position south of Emporia. At this time, weather conditions were poor with snow falls, drizzle, icing conditions, clouds and mist. The three engine airplane started to lose altitude then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all eight occupants were killed, among them the US football player and trainer Knute Rockne.
Crew:
Robert Fry, captain,
Jesse Mathias, copilot.
Passengers:
Knute Kenneth Rockne,
H. J. Christiansen,
J. H. Hooper,
W. B. Miller,
F. Goldthwaite,
C. A. Lobrech.

Probable cause:

The right wing severed in flight, maybe following an excessive ice accumulation. The aircraft was probably in a spiral dive when it broke up. An excessive speed almost certainly was a contributory cause of the accident, probably not through control mishandling but through flutter. By late June 1931, 20 of the 36 grounded F-10As were back in service, and five others would follow. There was no rejoicing.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Harrisburg

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Ford 5

Operator:

Registration:

NC9647

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

5-AT-021

YOM:

1929

Location:

Harrisburg

Pennsylvania

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Harrisburg Airport, the airplane was too low and struck an embankment short of runway. The right main gear and the right engine were torn off and the aircraft came to rest in a grassy area. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.