ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 336848
| Date: | Tuesday 18 November 1947 |
| Time: | 13:00 |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-049-46-26 Constellation |
| Owner/operator: | Transcontinental & Western Air - TWA |
| Registration: | NC86507 |
| MSN: | 2028 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3256 hours |
| Engine model: | Wright R-3350 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Wilmington-Newcastle County Airport, DE (ILG) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Wilmington-New Castle County Airport, DE (ILG/KILG) |
| Wilmington-New Castle County Airport, DE (ILG/KILG) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Constellation, named "Star of Madrid", departed Newcastle at 11:06 for a check flight for two crew members. At 12:10 the flight called the Newcastle Tower and asked to be cleared for an instrument approach to runway 01. They would fly low over the field on their first approach, and that they would then circle and land. After overflying the airport, a climbing left turn was made to an altitude of 400 to 500 feet. The aircraft circled at that altitude until approximately one mile west of the south end of runway 01, then it started a gliding left turn, toward the field. One-half mile south of the airport the turn was completed, and the aircraft flew a straight course on final approach for landing. The descent on final approach continued normally until the aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 50 feet above the ground, at which time it was 500 to 1,000 feet from the approach end the runway. Then, the aircraft assumed a nose-high attitude and descended more rapidly. First contact with the ground was made 130 feet from the approach end of the runway, and 22 feet in front of a 5-foot embankment. The Constellation was forced back into the air by the rise of the embankment and landed for the second time on the runway, skidding forward 1,270 feet. The right wing was torn from the fuselage as the aircraft turned over to an inverted position. Fuel spilled from ruptured gasoline tanks ignited, and the wreckage burst into flames.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the inadvertent landing of the aircraft short of the runway."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
CAB File No. 1-0113
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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