ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-3A-269 N21716 Richmond Airport, IN (RID)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 15 December 1952
Time:09:52
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-3A-269
Operator:Lake Central Airlines
Registration: N21716
MSN: 2131
First flight: 1939
Total airframe hrs:28567
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90D
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9
Collision casualties:Fatalities: 1
Aircraft damage: Minor
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Richmond Airport, IN (RID) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Indianapolis Airport, IN, United States of America
Destination airport:Richmond Municipal Airport, IN (RID/KRID), United States of America
Flightnumber: 21
Narrative:
Lake Central Airlines Flight 21 departed Indianapolis at 09:18 and was cleared direct to Richmond at a cruising altitude of 2300 feet. At 09:40 the flight advised the company at Richmond that it was in range and requested the local weather which was given as: Ceiling estimated 500 feet overcast, light snow showers, fog, visibility 5 miles and wind from the southwest at 18 miles per hour. Flight 21 reported over the Richmond "MH" marker (a non-directional homing beacon) at 09:44 and proceeded outbound on a heading of 234 degrees. A standard D/F approach was immediately begun. A few minutes prior to and during the approach the aircraft began picking up ice; accordingly the propeller and windshield de-icers and the windshield wipers were turned on. A normal approach was made and the aircraft became visually contact approximately one mile southwest of the airport at an altitude of about 400 feet above the ground. The company's agent, who from the ground was monitoring the approach, advised the flight that he had it in sight and that there was no other traffic. When starting flare-out for the landing a few feet above the ground the company's relief dispatcher seated on the jump seat (between and to the rear of the two pilots' seats) momentarily observed an aircraft approaching from the left. He immediately shouted to the captain to look out. Power was applied at once, but almost instantly thereafter the two aircraft collided. The DC-3 yawed to the right and for a few seconds was difficult to control; however, the right main landing gear wheel made contact with runway 23 some distance from the collision point and the aircraft rolled off the runway onto the grass. After rolling approximately 800 feet the captain was able to return the aircraft to the runway and stop. It appeared that a Cessna 170, N3131B, had been the airport from a southwesterly direction at an altitude between 300 and 400 feet and then to turn left for a landing on runway 28. A few seconds later, at the intersection of this runway and runway 23 the Cessna and the DC-3 collided. The pilot was killed and that aircraft was demolished by impact and fire.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the pilots of both aircraft to observe and avoid each other. The action of the Cessna pilot in cutting in and attempting to land contrary to the prevailing wind direction, and the inadequate monitoring of the DC-3'a flight from the ground contributed to the accident."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Sources:
» CAB File No. 1-0099


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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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