Page:CAB Accident Report, Delta Air Lines Flight 1.pdf/1



A Douglas DC-3 aircraft, NC 28340, owned and operated by Delta Air Corporation, was extensively damaged in an accident which occurred at Dallas, Texas, at about 3:15 p.m. on September 30, 1941. The crew consisted of Captain Murrell Don Dice and First Officer Leon B. Reynolds, both of whom were properly certificated and appropriately rated, and the stewardess, Martha A. Morris. Fourteen revenue passengers and fie company employees, who were riding as non-revenue passengers, were aboard. Among the non-revenue passengers were Captain W. L. McBride and First Officer R. L. McKee. There were no injuries to either the passengers or the crew.

The flight, designated by the air carrier as Trip No. 1, of September 30, 1941, departed from Atlanta, Georgia, for Fort Worth, Texas. Intermediate stops were scheduled at Birmingham, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Dallas, Texas. The flight was dispatched and proceeded uneventfully until arrival over Love Field, Dallas at approximately 1:45 p.m. In compliance with the captain's instructions, the first officer attempted to lower the landing gear, but the left wheel remained in the retracted position. The crew tried to lower the gear by applying excessive pressure to the hydraulic system with the hand pump, but the left wheel could not be lowered. The captain also zoomed the ship, pulling it up suddenly in an effort to dislodge the left wheel, but without success. During this time the captain was in radio contact with the company's ground station at Fort Worth, which in turn was in telephone communications with the operations and maintenance personnel at Delta Air Corporation stationed at Atlanta. When it became apparent that it would be impossible to lower the left wheel, landing on Love Field with the wheels up was authorized by the Chief Flight Superintendent of Delta Air Corporation. Captain Dice continued to circle the field for about an hour in order to use up as much fuel as possible and thereby reduce the fire hazard; during this time preparations for an emergency landing were made at Love Field. In accordance with the suggestion of the Chief Flight Superintendent, Captain McBride came forward and assumed the duties of First Officer Reynolds, while the latter stationed himself at the exit door. Proper precautions were taken by the stewardess to see that all the passengers' safety belts were securely fastened. First Officer R. L. McKee went forward and occupied the jump seat in order to be of any possible assistance to the crew. The captain was informed by the control tower at Dallas that preparations had been completed for the landing, and that the wind was south-southeast 7. Ceiling and visibility were unlimited. Captain Dice elected to land toward the south on the sod-covered ground adjacent to the north-south runway, intending to make contact with the ground immediately after passing over the northwest-southeast runway. However, he slightly undershot his intended point and first contacted the ground on the northwest-southeast runway. The tips of both propellers struck first and were followed almost immediately by the retracted landing gear wheels. The plane rolled straight ahead for about 825 feet before it stopped.