Estado:	Final
Fecha:	16 MAY 1946
Hora:	01:04
Tipo:	Douglas C-47A-80-DL
Operador:	Viking Air Transport
Registración:	NC53218
Numéro de série:	19626
Año de Construcción:	1944
Horas Totales de la Célula:	1180
Motores:	2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92
Tripulación:	Fatalidades: 2 / Ocupantes: 2
Pasajeros:	Fatalidades: 25 / Ocupantes: 25
Total:	Fatalidades: 27 / Ocupantes: 27
Daños en la Aeronave:	Anulado
Consecuencias:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Ubicación:	10 km (6.3 milles) S of Richmond-Byrd Field, VA (RIC) (Estados Unidos de América)
Fase:	Aproximación (APR)
Naturaleza:	Vuelo Doméstico No Programado
Aeropuerto de Salida:	Richmond International Airport (Byrd Field), VA (RIC/KRIC), Estados Unidos de América
Aeropuerto de Llegada:	Atlanta Municipal Airport, GA (ATL/KATL), Estados Unidos de América

Descripción:
The DC-3 landed at Richmond-Byrd Field (RIC) with indications of engine problems. The crew however, decided to continue to Atlanta immediately because of worsening weather conditions. Engine trouble after takeoff forced the crew to return to Byrd Field. The aircraft was not properly lined up on the first attempt to land and maneuvered for another attempt. One of the engines ran rough and was shut down. The aircraft lost control, stalled and crashed. It appeared that the pilot had shut down the wrong, no. 2, engine when a crack had developed in the no. 6 cylinder of the no. 1 engine.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The inability of the pilot to maintain adequate control of the aircraft to effect an emergency single-engine instrument approach under adverse weather conditions. Contributing factors were: The decision of the pilot to continue the flight into weather conditions when the considered unsafe; the negligence of the pilot in failing to have an inspection of the aircraft engines made prior to departure from Richmond, the action of the pilot in shutting down the wrong engine when experiencing excessive vibration from a power plant; and the pilot's neglect in failing to retract the landing gear during an emergency go-around."

Fuentes:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 43)
» CAB File No. 634-46
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com