Page:CAB Accident Report, Braniff Airways Flight 2.pdf/8

 Standard constant speed, full-feathering propellers. This aircraft and its equipment had been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration for air carrier operation over routes flown by TWA with 24 passengers and a crew of four. The airplane had been certificated for operation with a standard gross weight of 24,400 pounds and a provisional gross weight of 25,200 pounds. The use of the airplane was restricted so that no take-off could be made at the Wichita Municipal Airport except on the hard-surfaced north-south runway if the weight of the airplane exceeded the standard gross weight. The gross weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was 24,269 pounds.

TWA Flight 6, which had originated at Los Angeles, proceeded eastward on the evening of the accident from Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Captain Kasper and First officer Richwine at the controls. The flight landed at the Wichita Municipal Airport at approximately 10:45 p.m., slightly ahead of schedule. Since it had been anticipated that Captain Kasper upon his arrival at Wichita would have flown nearly the maximum 85 hours for the month of May, Captain Boqua had been detailed to make a flight from Kansas City to Wichita to relieve Captain Kasper on Flight 6 there.

TWA Flight 6, with Captain Boqua in command, took off from the Wichita Municipal Airport on schedule at 11:06 p.m. and proceeded toward Kansas City, Missouri. When the flight was in the vicinity