Narrative:
American Airlines Flight 3 en route from New York to Los Angeles departed at 21:39 on February 22, 1945. Departure from Washington had been at 00:11 on February 23. The last radio message from the flight was at 02:05 at 4,000 feet over Pulaski, Virginia. The DC-3 continued, passing through rain and clouds and encountering considerable turbulence. The airplane flew over mountainous terrain and struck the wooded summit of Glade Mountain at approx 3910 feet amsl.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to properly plan the flight and remain at a safe instrument altitude under existing conditions. A contributing cause of the accident was the company's laxity in dispatching and supervising the flight."
accident date: 23-02-1945
type: Douglas DC-3-277
registration: NC18142
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 23 February 1945 |
| Time: | 02:25 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3-277 |
| Operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | NC18142 |
| MSN: | 2138 |
| First flight: | 1939 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 17296 |
| Engines: | 2 Wright R-1820-G102 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 19 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 17 / Occupants: 22 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 9 km (5.6 mls) SW of Rural Retreat, VA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America |
| Nashville-Berry Field, TN (BNA/KBNA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 9 |
American Airlines Flight 3 en route from New York to Los Angeles departed at 21:39 on February 22, 1945. Departure from Washington had been at 00:11 on February 23. The last radio message from the flight was at 02:05 at 4,000 feet over Pulaski, Virginia. The DC-3 continued, passing through rain and clouds and encountering considerable turbulence. The airplane flew over mountainous terrain and struck the wooded summit of Glade Mountain at approx 3910 feet amsl.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to properly plan the flight and remain at a safe instrument altitude under existing conditions. A contributing cause of the accident was the company's laxity in dispatching and supervising the flight."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» CAB File No. 875-45Photos
accident date: 23-02-1945
type: Douglas DC-3-277
registration: NC18142
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 Washington-National Airport, DC to Nashville-Berry Field, TN as the crow flies is 896 km (560 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Washington-National Airport, DC to Nashville-Berry Field, TN as the crow flies is 896 km (560 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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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Douglas DC-3
- ca 13.000 built
- 1578th loss
- 526th fatal accident
- 60th worst accident (at the time)
- 305th worst accident (currently)
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