Page:CAB Accident Report, Frontier Airlines Flight 32.pdf/1

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AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT

ADOPTED March 8, 1965

FRONTIER AIRLINES, INC.

DOUGLAS DC-3C, N61442

MILES CITY, MONTANA

MARCH 12, 1964

SYPNOSIS

Frontier Airlines Flight 32 of March 12, 1964, crashed and burned during an instrument approach to the Miles City Airport, Miles City, Montana, about 2050 m.s.t. All five occupants, three crew members and two passengers were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. Weather conditions last reported to the flight were the operational minima of ceiling 400 feet and Visibility one mile. Wet snow, strong gusty winds, and near freezing temperatures prevailed.

Investigation revealed neither malfunctioning of any of the aircraft's components nor of any of the pertinent airport navigational facilities including the VOR, which was utlilzed. All applicable FAA certification was in order.

The Board determine that the probable cause of the accident was the descent below obstructing terrain, for reasons undeterminable, during an instrument approach in adverse weather conditions.

Investigation

Frontier Airlines (FAL) Flight 32 of March 12, 1964, a DC-3C, N61442, crashed and burned while making instrument approach to the Miles City Airport, Miles City, Montana about 2050 March 12, 1964. All five occupants, three crew members and two passengers, were killed.

The flight was regularly scheduled between Billings and Sidney with stops at Miles City and Glendive, all in Montana. Departure from Billings was scheduled at 1950 with arrival at Miles City scheduled at 2046.

The crew of Flight 32 arrival at the company's operations office at Billings between 1830 and 1845 to prepare for the flight. At about 1925 the captain received a weather briefing from the U.S. Weather Bureau (USWB) at the airport. The captain was told that a cold front was approaching Miles City at that tune and that gusty west to northwest wands would persist following frontal passage with turbulence and at least moderate icing. The captain was also told