Page:CAB Accident Report, Western Air Lines Flight 7.pdf/1



A Douglas D3TA aircraft, NC 18101, owned by Western Airlines, Inc., and operated on that carrier's Trip No. 7 of July 16, 1941, was damaged during an emergency landing at Los Angeles, California, at approximately 1:45 p.m. The crew consisted of First Pilot Lester C. Holtan and Second Pilot George E. Cerveny, both of whom were properly certificated and appropriately rated, and a stewardess, Evelyn Bartlett. Five passengers were aboard. There were no injuries to either passengers or crew.

After being properly dispatched to San Diego, California, Western Air Lines Trip No. 7 departed Burbank, California, its origin, on schedule at 1:30 p.m. July 16. An intermediate stop was scheduled at Long Beach, California. The flight proceeded normally, reaching the vicinity of Long Beach at about 1:45 p.m., and contacted the control tower for landing instructions. The control tower operator informed Trip 7 that the wind was from the west-northwest at a velocity of 18 miles per hour, which indicated a landing on the 3000 foot east-west runway, and advised caution due to the presence of a disabled Army aircraft about midway of the runway and 100 feet north of it. The pilot, in an effort to effect a short landing and thereby minimize the chances of collision with the Army aircraft, brought his plane in under power at a relatively low speed. As the aircraft neared the east end of the usable portion of the runway, a sudden shock was felt. This was followed immediately by the sound of the landing gear warning horn. Power was applied and the ship was placed in a climbing attitude. On checking, the crew found that the right landing gear was not fully extended and that the landing gear latch was not functioning. The control tower asked the flight by radio whether anything was wrong and was advised of the trouble with the landing gear. The tower operator requested the pilot to fly low over the tower so as to permit the personnel there to check the wheels. Pilot Holtan complied, and while he was flying at a low altitude, the crew attempted to ascertain the nature of the obstruction which the landing gear had struck but no obstruction could be discerned. The control tower advised that the gear appeared to be all right, but Trip 7 replied that the right gear could not be fully extended and that the flight was returning to Burbank. The carrier's office at Burbank was advised and the flight proceeded in that direction. After arrival over Burbank, while the crew was carrying out instructions from the company's ground station, it was found that the right landing gear would retract only partially. It became apparent, after repeated efforts to dislodge the landing gear had failed, that a wheels-up landing would have to be made. In accordance with instructions from the company, the flight proceeded to the Los Angeles Municipal Airport where, after the fuel supply had been almost exhausted, a successful landing with retracted gear was affected at approximately 5:14 p.m.