Page:CAB Accident Report, Northwest Airlines Flight 5.pdf/2



An accident involving aircraft NC 21712 occurred in the vicinity of Moorhead, Minnesota, on October 30, 1941, about 2:04 a.m. while the aircraft was being operated in scheduled air carrier service between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington, as Trip 5 of Northwest Airlines (hereinafter referred to as "Northwest"). The accident resulted in the destruction of the airplane, death to the 12 passengers and 2 members of the crew, and injuries to one member of the crew. The Washington office of the Civil Aeronautics Board (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") was notified of the accident by its Senior Investigator stationed at Chicago immediately after he had received notification of the accident by telephone at approximately 3:25 a.m. on October 30, 1941.

Immediately after receiving this notification, the Board initiated an investigation in accordance with the provisions of Section 702 (a)(2) of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the "Act"). As soon as possible after receiving notification of the accident, the Board's Senior Investigator at Chicago called the County Attorney of Clay County, Minnesota, in which county the accident had occurred, and requested him to make arrangements to provide an official guard for the wreckage until the investigator could reach the scene of the accident. This request was granted and the investigator proceeded to the scene of the accident, arriving there about 2:00 p.m., October 30, 1941. He immediately took custody of the wreckage and ascertained that the guard which had already been provided by the Sheriff of Clay County would continue to guard the wreckage. A preliminary investigation made by the investigator upon his arrival indicated that the wreckage had not been disturbed. The guard was maintained until the inspection of the aircraft was completed and the aircraft released to Northwest.

In connection with the investigation of the accident, a public hearing was held at Moorhead, Minnesota, on November 3 and 4, 1941. Stuart G. Tipton, Assistant General Counsel of the Board, was designated by the Board to preside as examiner at the hearing. He was assisted by Frank E. Caldwell, Chief of the Investigation Division of the Safety Bureau, William Butters, Senior Investigator for the Safety Bureau at Chicago, and B. C. Haynes, Air Safety Specialist in Meteorology of the Safety Bureau.

All the evidence available to the Board at the time was presented at the hearing. Testimony was given by 21 witnesses and 19 exhibits were received in evidence. Since Captain Clarence Bates had received injuries in the accident and was confined in a hospital at the time of the hearing, the examiner adjourned the hearing to the hospital and took his testimony there.

While the examiner and the representatives of the Safety Bureau were the only ones designated to ask questions directly of the witnesses, the examiner, acting under instructions of the Board, announced at the opening of the hearing that any person who had any evidence, questions, or suggestions for consideration in the proceedings might submit them to the examiner. Accordingly, 19 written questions were submitted and were asked of the appropriate witnesses. 20635