Page:CAB Accident Report, TWA crash on 17 May 1940.pdf/14

  the outside temperature at 22 degrees. At this time power was reduced to lessen the danger of a static discharge from the aircraft to the clouds. Approximately 9 minutes after entering the overcast, one engine wa swas [sic] heard to sputter. Immediately a turn of 180 degrees was made to reverse the course and upon completion of the turn the other three engines began to lose power. At 5:57 p.m., or approximately 11 minutes after the loss of power began, the aircraft had descended to an altitude of 10,000 feet and the outside temperature was 30 degrees. All efforts to restore power to the engines were unsuccessful. The aircraft finally broke out under the clouds at 5750 feet above sea level and approximately 800 feet above the ground. At this time the landing gear was ordered down. However, No. 4 engine started a surge of power which indicated a possibility that the engines would probably resume normal operation so the captain ordered the gear up again. This power, however, died out and it was then too late to extend the gear more than part way down before the aircraft contacted the ground. The accident occurred about 6:03 p.m. (CST) at a point approximately 22 miles west of Pritchett, Colorado, and resulted in major damage to the aircraft. Members of the crew and passengers received no injuries. 