Détails:
A Douglas DC-4, operated by United Air Lines, was destroyed in an accident at New York-La Guardia Airport, New York, USA. Five of the 48 occupants survived the accident.
The DC-4, named "Mainliner Lake Tahoe", was ready for takeoff at 19:04 hours local time. The tower operator asked whether the flight wished to wait out a storm on the ground. The captain answered. "I'll take off." The tower then advised the flight: "Cleared for immediate takeoff, or hold; traffic on final approach north of Riker's Island." Flight 521 rolled onto runway 18, and accelerated for takeoff immediately. The captain applied back pressure to the control column but the controls felt heavy and the aircraft did not respond. The captain decided to discontinue takeoff.
About 1,000 feet from the south end of the runway he applied brakes, ordering the co-pilot at the same time to cut the engines. A ground-loop was attempted by heavy application of left brake. The aircraft, however, proceeded to roll straight ahead. Then, with both brakes locked it continued over the remainder of the runway, crashed through the fence at the airport boundary, and half-bounced, half-flew across the Grand Central Parkway. The aircraft finally came to rest immediately east of the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics, a distance of 800 feet from the end of runway 18 and 1,700 feet from the point at which brakes were first applied. It was almost immediate enveloped in flames.
Investigation revealed that the gust locks on the plane had been altered, permitting it to remain locked even after removal of the gust lock warning tape.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was either the failure of the pilot to release the gust lock before take-off, or his decision to discontinue the take-off because of apprehension resulting from rapid use of a short runway under a possible calm wind condition."
accident date: 29-05-1947
type: Douglas DC-4
registration: NC30046
| Statuts: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | jeudi 29 mai 1947 |
| Heure: | 19:05 |
| Type/Sous-type: |  Douglas DC-4 |
| Compagnie: | United Airlines |
| Immatriculation: | NC30046 |
| Numéro de série: | 18324 |
| Année de Fabrication: | 1944 |
| Heures de vol: | 5950 |
| Equipage: | victimes: 2 / à bord: 4 |
| Passagers: | victimes: 41 / à bord: 44 |
| Total: | victimes: 43 / à bord: 48 |
| Dégats de l'appareil: | Détruit |
| Conséquences: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Lieu de l'accident: | New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA) ( Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
|
| Élévation des lieux de l'accident: | 7 m (23 feet) amsl |
| Phase de vol: | Au décollage (TOF) |
| Nature: | Transport de Passagers Nat. |
| Aéroport de départ: | New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), Etats-Unis d'Amérique |
| Cleveland Municipal Airport, OH (CLE/KCLE), Etats-Unis d'Amérique | |
| Numéro de vol: | UA521 |
A Douglas DC-4, operated by United Air Lines, was destroyed in an accident at New York-La Guardia Airport, New York, USA. Five of the 48 occupants survived the accident.
The DC-4, named "Mainliner Lake Tahoe", was ready for takeoff at 19:04 hours local time. The tower operator asked whether the flight wished to wait out a storm on the ground. The captain answered. "I'll take off." The tower then advised the flight: "Cleared for immediate takeoff, or hold; traffic on final approach north of Riker's Island." Flight 521 rolled onto runway 18, and accelerated for takeoff immediately. The captain applied back pressure to the control column but the controls felt heavy and the aircraft did not respond. The captain decided to discontinue takeoff.
About 1,000 feet from the south end of the runway he applied brakes, ordering the co-pilot at the same time to cut the engines. A ground-loop was attempted by heavy application of left brake. The aircraft, however, proceeded to roll straight ahead. Then, with both brakes locked it continued over the remainder of the runway, crashed through the fence at the airport boundary, and half-bounced, half-flew across the Grand Central Parkway. The aircraft finally came to rest immediately east of the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics, a distance of 800 feet from the end of runway 18 and 1,700 feet from the point at which brakes were first applied. It was almost immediate enveloped in flames.
Investigation revealed that the gust locks on the plane had been altered, permitting it to remain locked even after removal of the gust lock warning tape.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was either the failure of the pilot to release the gust lock before take-off, or his decision to discontinue the take-off because of apprehension resulting from rapid use of a short runway under a possible calm wind condition."
Accident investigation:
 |
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Sources:
» CAB Accident Investigation ReportPhotos
accident date: 29-05-1947
type: Douglas DC-4
registration: NC30046
Plan
Ce plan montre l'aéroport de départ ainsi que la supposée destination du vol. La ligne fixe reliant les deux aéroports n'est pas le plan de vol exact.
La distance entre New York-La Guardia Airport, NY et Cleveland Municipal Airport, OH est de 667 km (417 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
La distance entre New York-La Guardia Airport, NY et Cleveland Municipal Airport, OH est de 667 km (417 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Les informations ci-dessus ne représentent pas l'opinion de la 'Flight Safety Foundation' ou de 'Aviation Safety Network' sur les causes de l'accident. Ces informations prélimimaires sont basées sur les faits tel qu'ils sont connus à ce jour.
languages: 
Etats-Unis d'Amérique
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Douglas DC-4
- 1242 built
- 69ème loss
- 34ème accident fatal
- le accident 3ème le plus grave (à ce moment là)
- le accident 26ème le plus grave (en ce moment)
Etats-Unis d'Amérique- le accident The le plus grave (à ce moment là)
- le accident 76ème le plus grave (en ce moment)
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