Status:	Final
Date:	05 JAN 1947
Time:	22:08
Type:	Douglas DC-3-208A
Operator:	American Airlines
Registration:	NC21746
C/n / msn:	2104
First flight:	1939
Total airframe hrs:	25547
Engines:	2 Wright G-102
Crew:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 13
Total:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 16
Airplane damage:	Written off
Airplane fate:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Jones Beach, NY (United States of America)
Phase:	Unknown (UNK)
Nature:	Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	Baltimore Airport, MD, United States of America
Destination airport:	Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America
Flightnumber:	203

Narrative:
Arriving near Washington, the aircraft had to hold because of 2 emergencies. "Flagship San Antonio" then continued to Baltimore and held there for 75mins. also because of some emergencies of other flights. The crew decided to try Philadelphia instead. They were not able to use the Philadelphia radio dang however due to static interference. The flight continued north-eastward with weather conditions worsening. With 30 minutes of fuel left an emergency landing was decided upon. A belly landing was carried out on a beach. The aircraft was salvaged and sold as scrap.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The inability of the pilot to land at a prepared landing area due to the loss of radio navigational reference resulting from severe static interference. A contributing factor was the saturation of navigational facilities in the New York-Washington area due to the existence of a large number of emergencies which prevented an early landing. A further contributing factor was the failure of the company and the United States Weather Bureau to forecast adequately the high level conditions affecting this area due to insufficient number of radiosonde stations in the northeastern states."

Sources:
» CAB File No. 1-0003-47