Page:CAB Accident Report, 1963 Purdue Aeronautics Corporation crash.pdf/3

 however, in the course of his duties for more than two years before this accident.

As the flight approached the Morgantown area it was given the Morgantown 1035 weather observation by the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The ceiling was estimated as 600 feet, broken clouds, visibility 1-1/2 miles in light rain and fog, and the wind from the north at 10 knots. The crew acknowledged receipt of this information.

The applicable published daytime minimums for the various instrument approaches to the Morgantown Airport are.

After passing the VOR inbound the captain instructed the first officer to descend to 2,400 feet. The altitude was maintained between 2,450 to 2,500 feet and, because of a cross wind from the right, a heading of 345-350° was required to maintain a track of 337°.

Approximately 2:35 minutes after passing the VOR inbound the captain's VOR indicator centered. He then told the copilot to "ease it down" and turned on the windshield wipers. He advised the copilot that the minimum altitude was 1,856 feet. The last altitude the captain recalls on the altimeter was 2,200 feet, however, he stated it could have been 2,150 or 2,175. When trees suddenly appeared the captain pulled the yoke back but the aircraft struck the trees nose-high and the aircraft crashed.

The flight crew searched the wreckage of the aircraft and found the stewardess's body in the aft cabin.

The copilot's testimony indicates the flight was essentially as described by the captain.

Investigation The wreckage was located 2.5 nautical miles from the Morgantown VOR on the 340° radial oriented along a line 340° magnetic.