Page:Aviation Accident Report - United Airlines Flight 4 - 17 October 1935.pdf/1

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October 31, 1935.

To the Director of Air Commerce On October 7, 1935 at approximately 2 19 a.m., at a point about 10 miles west northwest of the airport at Cheyenne, Wyoming, an airplane of United States registry, piloted by licensed airmen, while being flown in scheduled interstate operation carrying passengers, mail and express, unexpectedly contacted the ground with resultant death to all on board and the complete destruction of the aircraft.

The airplane, a Boeing model 247-D, had been regularly inspected by the Department of Commerce on August 12, 1935 and bore Department of Commerce license number NC-13317. It was owned by the United Air Lines Transport Corporation and at the time of the accident was being operated on the Salt Lake–Cheyenne division of that corporation's transcontinental route. The pilot, H. A. Collison, held the necessary Department of Commerce transport pilot's license and scheduled air transport rating. He had satisfactorily passed a physical examination for the renewal of his license on September 30, 1935. The co-pilot, G. E. Batty. held a Department of Commerce transport pilot's license. The stewardess was Mis Leona S. Lason. The passengers on board were as follows

The following is a summary of facts, conditions and circumstances relating to the accident, at the end of which appears a statement of probably cause of same as found by the Board which analyzed the record.

This flight, scheduled as Trip 4 of October 6th out of Oakland Calif., was dispatched from Salt Lake City for Cheyenne at 12 07 a.m. on October 7, 1935, with full tanks of fuel (275 gal.). The weather practically clear and unlimited and, therefore, was definitely favorable for the flight. Normal radio contacts were made throughout the flight, the last one being a contact at 2 16 or 2 17 a.m. by Co-pilot Batty with Cheyenne, giving the airplane's position as "Silver Crown", which is approximately 3 miles west of the point where the accident occurred. Cheyenne called the plane at 2 21 a.m. and received no reply, which establishes the time of the accident at between 2 17 and 2 21 a.m.

Investigation disclosed that the airplane, while on the direct radio course to the Cheyenne airport and while flying in a normal, slightly descending path, had first collided with the ground just a few feet below the top pf a small knoll tearing out both engines and engine nacelles. From here it had rebounded and continued through the air for a distance of 1120 feet, where it came to rest.