Page:CAB Accident Report, Northwest Airlines Flight 1.pdf/2

File No. 880-42 I.

CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATION

An accident which occurred in the vicinity of Miles City Airport, Miles City, Montana, on May 12, 1942, at about 11:51 a.m. (MWT), resulted in fatal injuries to the captain, first officer, and a Northwest airlines captain, who was deadheading, and minor injuries to one passenger, while the remaining nine passengers and the stewardess escaped injury. The airplane involved, NC 21714, was being operated at the time in scheduled air carrier service between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington, as Trip 1 of Northwest Airlines, Inc. (hereinafter. referred to as "Northwest"). The airplane was completely demolished.

The Washington office of the Civil Aeronautics Board (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") was notified of the accident about 2:05 p.m. (EWT). The Board immediately initiated an investigation in accordance with the provisions of Section 732 (a) (2) of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 as amended, (hereinafter referred to as the "Act"). Air safety investigators of the Board were sent to the scene of the accident, the first of whom arrived about 5:35 p.m. the day of the accident. In accordance with the instructions of the board, the wreckage had been placed under guard. This guard was maintained until the wreckage was officially released to the company on May 22, 1942. A public hearing was held at St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 19 and 20, 1942. C. Z. German, an attorney for the Board, acted as presiding examiner and the following personnel of the Safety Bureau of the Board participated in the hearing: R. D. Hoyt, Assistant Director, W.K. Andrews,