Date:	Monday 29 August 1955
Time:	12:45
Type:	Douglas DC-3-191A
Owner/operator:	Continental Air Lines
Registration:	N18945
MSN:	2018
Year of manufacture:	1938
Total airframe hrs:	50837 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Hobbs, NM -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Carlsbad Airport, NM (CNM/KCNM)
Destination airport:	Hobbs-Lea County Airport, NM (HOB/KHOB)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The DC-3 left Carlsbad for Hobbs at 1217 hours on a VFR flight plan. At 1237 the flight asked Lea County Airport if there was any local traffic and was advised that none was visible from the terminal. When approximately 3-1/2 miles from the airport the first officer turned right to a heading of 120 degrees starting a base leg for runway 03 and maintained an altitude of 4 500 feet msl about 840 feet above the ground, while on the base leg. A left turn from base to final for runway 03 was made approximately 2-1/2 miles out and about 800 feet above the ground. At one- half mile out flaps were extended fully at an airspeed of 95 knots. The captain called the airspeed with each 5 knots change and the aircraft crossed the field boundary at 80 knots. At this time the captain saw from the left side window the shadow of an aircraft converging with his flight path over the runway. He skidded the aircraft evasively to the right, used emergency power and called for gear up. He then saw a Piper PA-22-135 Tri-Pacer (N3334B) close ahead, above and nearly into his left propeller. Almost instantly the propeller struck the tail surfaces of the Piper. The DC-3 made an emergency pullout, circled the airport and landed on runway 17 without further incident. The Piper PA-22 had departed Wichita Falls, TX, at approximately 0950 hours on a VFR flight for Hobbs. On nearing the airport the pilot altered his course slightly to the left in order to enter the traffic pattern on a downwind leg for runway 3. This leg was flown at an altitude of approximately 4 460 feet msl, 800 feet above the ground, about one-half to three-quarters of a mile to the west- northwest of runway 3. The pilot stated that while flying the downwind leg, he looked for other traffic and saw none. He said he made a left turn, establishing a base leg about 1/4 mile long, and again checked the area for other traffic. None was seen. The left turn to final was steepened and at an airspeed of approximately 68 knots, full flaps, to the second notch, were applied. As he neared the approach end of runway 3, he realized that he was too high and started a forward slip to lose altitude and land short on the runway. At this time his airspeed was between 45 and 55 knots. Just after passing the end of the runway. he heard a loud roar and on glancing out of the right window he saw the nose of another aircraft alongside and slightly above him (at 30-40 feet). At his point the two aircraft collided and the Piper crashed to runway 03 some 560 feet from its approach end.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Lack of sufficient visual alertness on the part of the pilots of both aircraft, and failure of the Piper pilot to comply fully with the local traffic pattern."

ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest, Circular 50-AN/45 (173-176)

photo (c) Aviation Safety Network

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