Narrative:
The Curtiss Commando departed Chicago for a flight to Denver. An refueling stop was made at Omaha from where it departed at 01:39 on a contact flight plan to Denver at 8,000 feet. At 04:14, the crew reported over the Watkins Fan Marker, 14 miles east of the Stapleton Airport, and requested permission to make a practice approach on the ILS, which was approved. The C-46 contacted the ground and crashed on the up-slope of a slight hill 218 feet past the middle marker antenna pole of the ILS and 3232 feet from the end of runway 21.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the momentary loss of control or overcontrol by the pilot at a critically low altitude in the final stages of an ILS approach. A contributing factor was the failure of the safety pilot to remain alert to the altitude of the aircraft."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 14 February 1947 |
| Time: | 04:20 |
| Type: |  Curtiss C-46E-1-CS Commando |
| Operator: | Slick Airways |
| Registration: | NC59486 |
| MSN: | 2944 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2418 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-75 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Denver, CO ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Omaha-Eppley Airfield, NE (OMA/KOMA), United States of America |
| Denver-Stapleton International Airport, CO (DEN/KDEN), United States of America |
The Curtiss Commando departed Chicago for a flight to Denver. An refueling stop was made at Omaha from where it departed at 01:39 on a contact flight plan to Denver at 8,000 feet. At 04:14, the crew reported over the Watkins Fan Marker, 14 miles east of the Stapleton Airport, and requested permission to make a practice approach on the ILS, which was approved. The C-46 contacted the ground and crashed on the up-slope of a slight hill 218 feet past the middle marker antenna pole of the ILS and 3232 feet from the end of runway 21.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the momentary loss of control or overcontrol by the pilot at a critically low altitude in the final stages of an ILS approach. A contributing factor was the failure of the safety pilot to remain alert to the altitude of the aircraft."
Accident investigation:
|
Sources:
» CAB File No. 1-0034-47Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Omaha-Eppley Airfield, NE to Denver-Stapleton International Airport, CO as the crow flies is 772 km (483 miles).
Distance from Omaha-Eppley Airfield, NE to Denver-Stapleton International Airport, CO as the crow flies is 772 km (483 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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