Page:CAB Accident Report, Braniff Airways Flight 2.pdf/15

 The control tower at the Wichita Municipal Airport was operated only between 6:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Nevertheless, an interphone system which had been installed in September, 1940, provided communication between the Braniff, TWA, Civil Aeronautics Administration communications, and Weather Bureau offices. The Braniff microphone to the interphone system was located in the Braniff radio room just to the left of the operator's normal position. It was the usual practice of Braniff and TWA ground personnel to advise each other when their respective flights reported that they were off the ground on take-off. Apparently no system had been worked out whereby they reported to each other the locations of their airplanes when taxiing away from the loading ramp. Despite the fact that Braniff Flight 2 had been away from the ramp for almost 10 minutes the Braniff radio operator did not report to TWA the fact, which was known to him, that Flight 2 had not yet taken off. He stated that he failed to do this because of his difficulty in obtaining the Airway Traffic Control Clearance for Flight 2. On the other hand, the TWA radio operator, who knew that Braniff Flight 2 had taxied out about 2:16, did not inquire of Braniff whether Flight 2 had left the ground, and did not advise Braniff that TWA Flight 6 was about to taxi out for a take-off.

A weather observation made at Wichita at 2:20 indicated contact weather, ceiling at an estimated height of 6000 feet, lower broken clouds, a mild thunderstorm, light rain, visibility 10 miles or more, wind southeast 34 m.p.h. with strong gusts, altimeter setting 29.74.