Date:	Tuesday 16 March 1954
Time:	08:38
Type:	Convair CV-340-35
Owner/operator:	Continental Air Lines
Registration:	N90853
MSN:	44
Year of manufacture:	1953
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 11
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	4 km NE of Midland, TX -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Midland Air Terminal, TX (MAF/KMAF)
Destination airport:	Kansas City (unknown airport), MO
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Reaching a height of 75 feet after takeoff severe vibration was experienced. The aircraft then entered a nose down attitude. The flight crew could barely prevent the Convair from diving into the ground; they managed to carry out a belly landing in barren field.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of control due to a failure of the right elevator trim tab push-pull rod caused by a reversed installation of the right elevator trim tab idler as a result of the carriers reliance on Manufacturers Illustrated Parts Catalog as a maintenance reference."

ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 47-AN/42 (86-87)
WCAA 2nd ed. / C.Y. Kimura

Date/time	Contributor	Updates