Page:CAB Accident Report, Pennsylvania-Central Airlines Flight 142 (1945).pdf/3

 which closely approached the minimum conditions for landing. The dew point at Morgantown reported in the 1530 sequence, which was the last such report to be read by Captain Jones, was one degree below the station temperature. Captain Jones submitted to the PCA chief dispatcher at Washington D. C., the flight plan calling for a cruising altitude to Morgantown of 2500 feet. After receiving approval of the dispatcher the flight plan was submitted to the Pittsburg Airway Traffic COntrol Center and an instrument clearance granted approving the cruising altitude of 2500 feet. Morgantown was served only by a 50 watt radio homing beacon which was inoperative at the time of the flight due to failure of the power supply. This beacon was not a required facility since instrument approaches were not authorized at Morgantown. Furthermore, the pilot was advised before take-off and again in flight that the facility was inoperative. The airport at Morgantown is located 50 miles south of Pittsburgh and approximately one mile east of Morgantown. Morgantown is situated on the Monongehela River which flows northward to Pittsburgh and which provides a navigational reference for contact operation. Flight 142 departed Pittsburg at 1641, 41 minutes late, due to the delayed arrival of a connecting flight. Eight minutes after take-off the pilot was given the 1630 Morgantown weather: Ceiling 1200 feet, visibility 2 miles, light fog. Approximately two minutes later the flight reported its position as over South Brownsville, approximately 27 miles north of Morgantown, at 2500 feet sea level. The pilot at this time was informed of a special Morgantown weather report which indicated a ceiling of 1000 feet and visibility of 1 mile. He was also informed that the Morgantown