Accident Douglas DC-3-178 NC17335,

Date:	Monday 20 September 1948
Time:	11:41
Type:	Douglas DC-3-178
Owner/operator:	Colonial Airlines
Registration:	NC17335
MSN:	1921
Year of manufacture:	1937
Total airframe hrs:	34238 hours
Engine model:	Wright R-1820-G102
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 17
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Burlington International Airport, VT (BTV) - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Montreal (unknown airport), QC
Destination airport:	Burlington International Airport, VT (BTV/KBTV)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Colonial Flight 3 departed Montreal, Canada, for a flight to New York via Burlington, VT. It departed Montreal at 11:12 and headed for Burlington, At 11:35 the crew reported to Colonial radio at Burlington that they were over the Grand Isle Fan Marker, approximately 25 miles northwest of Burlington. Colonial radio acknowledged the report and transmitted the latest local weather ceiling 800 feet, visibility 1 mile in heavy rain.
Flight 3 had been informed that the surface wind was west, variable to northwest, 5 mph, and due to a heavy rain occurring east of the airport the pilot elected to use runway 1. The pilot made a sharp descent toward the field. Because of an airspeed which was higher than normal, it remained airborne for several hundred feet. The airplane touched down slightly more than half way down the runway and in a tail-high attitude. There was no apparent deceleration and as it continued toward the far end of the runway, power was applied in an attempt to take off. The airplane became airborne but there was not sufficient distance remaining and It crashed into trees just north of the airport. Power to both engines was reduced just prior to impact. All the passengers were evacuated without difficulty.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the pilot's action in landing too fast and too far down the wet runway following a high approach."

Accident investigation: