Narrative:
TWA Flight 924 departed LaGuardia Field at 20:22, March 1, 1949, for Bombay, India, with the first scheduled stop at Gander. At 02:06 the next day the plane passed into the Gander control area and reported over Round Pond, 95 miles southwest of Gander Airport. At 02:30 the aircraft was cleared to the Gander tower to make a GCA (Ground Control Approach) straight-in approach, using runway 09, and was advised that the surface wind was variable from the northeast to east-north-east at 15-20 miles per hour. The 02:30 weather was transmitted to the flight by GCA and acknowledged as 400 feet overcast, visibility two miles, light freezing drizzle, light snow and fog, altimeter 29.64. The aircraft was identified thirteen miles west of the field, and was further advised to start its final approach. Considerable rime ice accumulated during the descent through the overcast obscuring the co-pilots windshield and largely obscuring the windshield on the captains side. Flight 924 established visual contact at approximately 400 feet above the ground while two miles from the airport. The landing gear was then lowered and the flaps set to fifteen degrees preparatory to landing. Approximately 1,615 feet from the approach end of runway 09 the aircraft struck a power line and then contacted the ground. Full power was applied, the aircraft again became fully airborne and continued to the runway where a landing was made.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the attempt to continue an approach for a landing using both GCA and visual reference to the ground under conditions of restricted cockpit visibility which resulted in the aircraft striking the ground."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 2 March 1949 |
| Time: | 02:44 |
| Type: |  Douglas C-54B-1-DC (DC-4) |
| Operator: | Transcontinental & Western Air - TWA |
| Registration: | NC34537 |
| MSN: | 10454 |
| First flight: | 1944 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7883 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2000-9 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 24 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 33 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Gander Airport, NL (YQX) ( Canada)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), United States of America |
| Gander Airport, NL (YQX/CYQX), Canada | |
| Flightnumber: | 924 |
TWA Flight 924 departed LaGuardia Field at 20:22, March 1, 1949, for Bombay, India, with the first scheduled stop at Gander. At 02:06 the next day the plane passed into the Gander control area and reported over Round Pond, 95 miles southwest of Gander Airport. At 02:30 the aircraft was cleared to the Gander tower to make a GCA (Ground Control Approach) straight-in approach, using runway 09, and was advised that the surface wind was variable from the northeast to east-north-east at 15-20 miles per hour. The 02:30 weather was transmitted to the flight by GCA and acknowledged as 400 feet overcast, visibility two miles, light freezing drizzle, light snow and fog, altimeter 29.64. The aircraft was identified thirteen miles west of the field, and was further advised to start its final approach. Considerable rime ice accumulated during the descent through the overcast obscuring the co-pilots windshield and largely obscuring the windshield on the captains side. Flight 924 established visual contact at approximately 400 feet above the ground while two miles from the airport. The landing gear was then lowered and the flaps set to fifteen degrees preparatory to landing. Approximately 1,615 feet from the approach end of runway 09 the aircraft struck a power line and then contacted the ground. Full power was applied, the aircraft again became fully airborne and continued to the runway where a landing was made.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the attempt to continue an approach for a landing using both GCA and visual reference to the ground under conditions of restricted cockpit visibility which resulted in the aircraft striking the ground."
Sources:
» CAB File No: 1-0032Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from New York-La Guardia Airport, NY to Gander Airport, NL as the crow flies is 1752 km (1095 miles).
Distance from New York-La Guardia Airport, NY to Gander Airport, NL as the crow flies is 1752 km (1095 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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