Page:CAB Accident Report, General Airways DC-3 crash on 1 February 1959.pdf/1

 3 File No. 1-0056 CWILAERONAUHCS BOARD " AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT

a.

ADOPTED: November 13, 1959 REEASED: November 21+, 1959

GENERAL AIRWAYS, INC., DC—3, N 17314, Near AQRRVILLE, $3335, FEFEEA§§_1, 1959

amen “WWW” " b A General Airways DC—3 crashed shortly before midnight near Kerrville,

Texas, on February 1, 1959, during a civil air movement (CAM) of 25 military personnel from BCise, Idaho, to Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Three of the 28 occupants, including the captain and the reserve captain, then acting as copilot, ware killed, four were seriously injured, and 21 re— ceived minor injuries.

The final segment of the flight was from Pueblo, Colorado, where the U. S. Weather Bureau Station furnished weather briefing. Icing prevailed and was to continue. An IFR flight plan specifying cruising at 9,000 feet was filed.

Departure from Pueblo was at lBOOi/ and at 1916 the flight requested an altitude change from 9,000 to 7,000 feet, reporting light iCing. ARTC approved at 1945. Shortly thereafter the flight again reported light icing. An involved series of radio contacts ensued as ice accretion became worse, then critical, then incapacitating. A privately used airport at Kerrville, Texas, was staffed and lighted. An attempt to land there failed and the aircraft was crash—landed nearby. Previously alerted fire fighting apparatus and ambulances were sent to the Site.

Investigation revealed no significant mechanical defect and no unpredicted weather canditions. The Board believes that this accident resulted from the pilot pressing into known and dangerous icing conditions until the aircraft was crash—landed.

General Airways, Inc., a CAB certificated supplemental air carrier, sur— rendered its FAA operating certificate shortly after the accident pending FAA re—evaluation of the carrier's operations. The FAA later restored the certifi— cate.

Investigation

The crew of N 1731A was comprised of Captain Woodrow Orien Epps, Reserve Captain Harvey Hitt, and Copilot Wilbur Wittliff. After a rest period of approx- imately 12 hours they started duty at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jerssy, early in the morning of January 31, 1959, and were on continuous duty for more than A0 hours until the accident at approximately 2337, February I, 1959. The follow— ing table details their movements as a team.from the time of departing McGuire

l7_Unless otherwise noted all times are central etaaaaea based on the ZA—hour clock. UBCOMM-DC-2518h