Page:CAB Accident Report, 1942 TWA DC-3 and Army C-53 mid-air collision.pdf/12

- 10 - Findings

The collision, which occurred at about 11:49 a.m. on November 4, 1942, between the TWA DC3 and the Army C-53, resulted in minor injuries to the captain of the DC3 and no injuries to the other occupants of either plane. Both aircraft received major damage.

Captain Welch and First Officer Lipke of the DC3 were physically qualified and hold proper certificates of competency to perform their duties on the subject flight.

Captain Penn, the pilot, and Lieutenant Burrell, the copilot, of the C-53, were assigned by the Army to conduct this flight.

The TWA DC3, NC 18951, was certificated as airworthy at the time of the accident.

The DC3 was being employed in routine instrument flight instruction. The flight was cleared by Air Traffic Control at Kansas City at 11:42 a.m., and took off at 11:44 a.m., having been dispatched in accordance with company procedure.

The Army C-53 had been dispatched from Indianapolis, Indiana to Wichita, Kansas, on a contact and instrument flight plan which was approved by Airway Traffic Control.

The operation of TWA DC3 was normal until it collided with the Army C-53.

During a previous flight the captain of the DC3 had received from Air Traffic Control at Kansas City, and acknowledged, the information that the Army C-53 was expected over the radio range at 11:44 a.m. When Captain Welch received clearance from Kansas City Air Traffic control for take-off at 11:44 a.m. for the subject flight, he assumed, without checking, that the Army C-53 had cleared, and dismissed it from his mind. 