Page:CAB Accident Report, Northwest Airlines Flight 2.pdf/7

Rh the right wing and changed the heading of the aircraft about 15 degrees to the left. Despite the captain's efforts, he was unable to effect recovery and bring the plane back to its original track. Almost immediately the plane went off the runway and onto the adjacent wet and slippery surface.

Tire marks on the runway indicated that the brakes were first applied 1050 feet beyond the point of initial contact. The plane skidded off the runway to the left 1550 feet from the first point of contact. The tail wheel made contact with the ground 350 feet after the plane left the runway and remained in contact thereafter. The aircraft then rolled across the southwest leg of the southwest-northeast runway just west of the intersection and for some distance beyond. At this point the captain ordered the tail wheel unlocked. About the same tine he applied more power to the left engine, and applied right rudder in an effort to head the ship into the wind, and to avoid windrows tar-mix surfacing which was piled 30 inches high along the east side of the north-south runway, about 400 feet ahead. While this effort succeeded in partially turning the airplane, it skidded almost broadside through one windrow of surfacing material, shearing off the left landing gear and buckling the right. The aircraft came to rest on the left engine nacelle and right landing gear, headed due north on the north-south runway, about 3150 feet beyond the point at where the left wheel first touched the ground.

The Airport

The Bismarck Municipal Airport is located on a plateau 1650 feet above sea level. It is an L-shaped field of approximately 300 usable acres, with one 200 x 4800-foot surfaced runway in use. (See map opposite page.) At