Page:CAB Accident Report, TWA Flight 595.pdf/2

 _ 2 -

1t dld not depart until about 0530. Ev1dence 1ndlcated that at departure the alrcraft was properly loaded to a gross welght of 126,606 pounds The allowable gross welght for takeoff computed for thlS fllght was 127,400 pounds, and the allowable landing welght was about 115,000 pounds

The alrcraft had been flown from New York Clty to Mldway where 1t landed at 0216 November 24. The fllght was reported by the lncomlng crew as routlne. The 1ncom1ng englneer dld, however, make a log entry spec1fy1ng that the ignition analyzer 1nd1cated that a spark plug on each of engines Nos 1, 2, and 4 had developed the lnitlal stage of secondary hlgh reelstance. All maintenance persons contacted, includlng the 1ncom1ng englneer, Stated the condltlon did not require a change of the affected plugs, and 1n thelr oplnlon the alrcraft was completely alrworthy for the fllght to Los Angeles.

The crew sealgned to Fllght 595 was off duty from November 20, 1959, until the mornlng of November 24 Rather than Spend their layover 1n Chlcago each of the three crew members returned to hlS home 1n Callfornla v1a TWA in a passenger capa01ty Captain Helwlg returned to Midway at 1645, November 23, and checked 1nto the crew lounge at Twa's Operatlons at 2140 and then retlred. Flrst Offlcer Matters arrlved at Mldway at 0720, November 23, and checked into a hotel Flight Englneer Ange returned to Chicago's O'Hare Airport at 2115 on November 23 and checked 1nto the crew lounge at Mldway at 2345. At 0050 on the morning of the 24th Flrst Officer Wetters was alerted for the fllght, and then at 0200 that same mornlng Captaln Helwlg and Fllght Engineer Auge were alerted

The fllght was dlspatched 1n accordance With TWA's procedures and the crew flled an EFR fllght plan to Los Angeles. The alrcraft was 1nSpected by the crew and about 0520 1t was tax1ed to runway 31L for takeoff. The fllght was then about 2 hours and 20 mlnutes behind schedule. The fllght recelved 1te ATC clearance to the Los Angeles Alrport and 1ts takeoff time was logged by Midway Tower as 0531.

The conversation between Fllght 595 and Mldway Tower was tape recorded. The fllght started 1ts takeoff roll upon or 1mmed1ately after acknowledglng Midway Tower*s takeoff clearance. The tlmlng of the events that follow started the Instant Fllght 595 acknowledged its tower clearance to commence the takeoff roll.

The takeoff appeared normal to the tower operators After 1 mnnute and 13 seconds the crew transmltted they were startlng a left turn. Seven seconds later the crew 1nformed the tower of the fire bell on the No 2 englne, that the englne had been shut down and the fllght was coming back 1n. Durlng the next 25 seconds Mldway Tower gave landlng clearance to the fllght for runway 31 or any runway 1t dealred to use. The crew told the tower they would use runway 31 Eleven seconds later the fllght rejected an offer from the tower to call out the emergency equipment

Mldway Tower asked Fllght 595 1f 1t de51red a Kedz1e locallzer approachg/or 1f the crew wanted to make 1t VFR To thls questlon they answered, "I think we'll make 1t VFR 0K " Forty-flve seconds had elapsed SlﬂCBthElrlaSt transm1551on.

2/ Ked21e 15 a low frequency compass locator radlo beacon at the outer marker of the TLS approach to runway 31L at Mldway, 3.3 nautlcal miles on an extended centerline from the approach end of runway 31L. To fly thls approach an aircraft should be on the heading of that runway at 1,500 feet m.s.l. (about 900 feet above the ground) and prepared to start a descent to that runway as 1t passes over the beacon.