·- SEP 1 l93i"1

I i .... r Ssc~~etary of Co:-:r~~erce :Jeniel C. Roper today ~o.dc ;public the rej?ort of the t Director of Air Commerce cvncerning the aircraft accident near Uniontown, Penn-

lJ r \ 1 sylvania on A.:.jril ? , · 1936. It is as follows:

To the Secretary of Con~rrerce:

On A~ril 7, 1£36, at approxtmately 10:20 a.m., at a point about three mile~ southeast of Fairchance, Pennsylvania, an airplane of United States registry, o'V\'!led and ope:rated by Trc.nscontinertal &-. ~'l~stern Air, Inc., and while being floW!. in scheduled interstate oreration carrying passengers, ~ail and express, met witl an accident re3ulting in fatal injuries to 12 of the 14 persons on board, inju­ ries to.the re~~ining two persons and the complete destruction of the aircraft. I Those fatally injured 't'Jere: t Donald D. A11gust, Grove City; Pa. Georee W. Reffer:1an, Bronx, N. Y. S. W. Bayersdo~fer, Steubenville, Ohio. Crawford T. Kelly, 1.IcKeesport; Pa. C. G. Challinor, Cleveland, Ohio. J"ohn O'Neill, Jersey City, N. J. c. R. D'.Arcy, New Yor}:, N. Y. Charles E. Smit~, New Kensington, Pa. Ro·oert Evans, Pi ttsburgb., Fa. Pilot Otto Ferg.1son, Kansas City, Mo. · Frank Eardirnan, J" er sey C:L ty, N. J" • Co-?ilot Harry C. Lewis, Kansas City,. Mo. Those injured were:

1~rs. !~!. C. Ellenstein, Nel·.rark; N. J. Hostess Nellie H. Granger, Dravosburg, Pa.

The aircraft, a Douglas, model DC-2, had been inspected and approved by the Bureau of Air Commerce on June 2?, 1935, and bore Federal license number NC-13?21. It \'.ras being operated on April ? , 1936, by Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc., as the "SUn Racer", Flight No. 1, Newark, New Jersey, to , . · -) The pilot, Otto Ferguson, held a Federal transport pilot's license and a scheduled air transport rating. The report of his quarterly physical examina­ f tion taken on I.:erch 14, 1S36, shm·fed he was in good condition at that time .. t J He was assiened to the N"ewark-Y.ansas City ~ilot division of _TWA as being quali­ - r \., f"ied and authorized to operate scheduled flights over this--division, its alter­ . j nate routes and extension area. The co-pilot, Harr3 C. Lewis, held a Federal transport pilot's license and a scheduled air transport rating. His quarterly physieal examination, taken on January 11, 1936, showed that-ne was in good condition. He was assigned. to the Newark-Kansas City pilot.. divisi,n.

The airplane left l~ewa:k .Aj.=rport at ?:54 a.m. and arrived at Central Air­ ~ort, C~den, N. J"., at ~:2? a.m. It was cleared f"r~m Camden on time at 8:35 a.m., and was scheduled to land at - at 10:23 a.m. 1453 8

. . . ·:.··---~-...;...-:- ~·· ...... ':..f~ .. ~·-·,..,__._, __ ...... _-6 ___ .. .,r_...... -:.---~--~··--~ :... • ...... ,.~ -~~ ...... ,.-...... ·~-~~-...-~~.:...... : . _... _.. · ... ~...... -~ ·-=--·-~": :- ... - ...... --··...... ~ . -·- -~:-... .. ·-.. ..._ ~·· ..... :~ -·- .

. ... •· ~ The. r.:.ount:iins let·~.c-::r. ~lQr:-..·~ s":>·.:r~ ~n l ?:. tt::.:l·~.:::"'~~ -: ·e:;:-e fol.. t!le r:!'Jst :pert obscured by clouds which tXtsnded to u. Db.Xi!ii1..\~ c.l t i t·,.H:e of 8 bout 15, 000 feet, and there v1e;.--e rain, slE.3t a."1d t;(lner;:\i icir,:::; con:li tions in this area. ~1est of :sllc!-:stown, P~.• , ~- soutt·:;, ·ste!'ljr v;ind of a !1ig:1 velocity v.-as reported blowing at 15,000 fe~ t alti tuue and tne effect of this wind r:c.s ev:dent to a decreas- . ing extent at lower altitudes.

Vlhile these weather co:K~i tionB ".:'it.;Te -c0t considered }:g,za!'dous for this type of aircraft c;.eration, they did inaicQt..) tl1at on :!)art of the trip the flight would have to be :tnade j n C•r above the clouJ s, necessitating instrument flying. !} II Therefore, the pilot 11e.s £':"-tthori zed l~~l' his company to so "on instruments" at his discretion. Evidence snows thnt the plane entered the overcast when in the vicinity of Ear.risbur;.?,:, e.r.. d that ~,ilot l4'erguson continued "on instruments" to en undete:rwi~ed point ?Ji thin a)::;,ro:~.:i:.:.ately th3 last 2.0 I!liles of the flicht.

Before :!.eaving Newa1·1~, Filet Ferr.u:Jon 11re:pared a flight plan which showed he intended flyin~ from c~~aen direct to Pittsburgh on a compass course; w~ich is the proce6.ure regularly f.QllorJed except v:hen weather conditions :prevent. fly~ ing by obse~vation of lanfrrrar~s. In this event, bot~ the operating ~~nual of T\vA a1"1d the DepartrJent of Co!lD."Jerce Rcculations Governing Scheduled Operation of Interstate Air Line Services r~quire that the course mast be altered so that the plane follows the rit;;ht h~J.d side of the Harrisburg radio range and the rir.~t hand side of the ~artheast leg of the Pittsbureh ~adio ranGe.

Radio reports from the pl~:...ne and test:iJ::tony of ''Ji tnesses show the.t the course was not altere~ in accorda~ce with theze requirements, ~~d that after the :plene crossed t!le south leg o'! t:1e };arris-Dl~.rg radio range, and entered the overcast, the I>ilot c0!1tin~Je;1 to follow what he th·:>ught l'l:ls his original com­ p~ss course but which develo:r-Jt:r.ts show •ta.s a course deflected to the south of' f this compass course. (See t~a:p.) .-·. Proof that the :plane was not follo.... ~!ing the west leg of the Harrisburg

: :·.:; : -~ radio range is given in Pilot Ferguson's radio r'3:port that he would cross the ... - . -.. . south lee. of the Bellefonte, Pn., radio range at 9:21 a.m.~ south of the west leg of the Harrisburg reuio rar~a. This crossing was legged by the pilot at 9:30 a,m. and so :!"eported to t~e 'J:-.VA ground station at Cresson, Pa., at 9:31 a.m. This definitely places the :plane somewhere south of :rv·ount Union, Pa.

~~en at 9:49 a,m., the pilot reflorted croe.si~~ the north leg of the Bucksi;o~m, Pe.., radio range in the "A" twili8ht zone of the Pittsburgh radio . range, which placed him so~ewhere south of the northeast leg of the Pittsburgh range. A chance 1·:as made i~ the orieine.l 9:49 report as recorded by the 'IWA radio operator at Pittsburgh stating that the plane had crossed the north leg of the Bucksto~~ re~e on the northeast leg qf .the Pittsburgh radio ~ange •.

At 9:50 a.m. emr->loyees of the De:pe.rtment of CoJ.ill!l.erce inten"'ledia~e land­ ing field at Eucksto't·m, whtch is two miles west and one mile north of the Buckstown radio range, heard a reulti-erigined airplane ~lying slightly south· of the field and in n westurly directio!l. The nost experienced of these wit­ nesses, who has been observing aircraft in thet area fer nearly seven years, gave sworn testinony that the :plane was not of the type used by Pennsylvania \

• ;"'... i Air Lines u.nd CGntral Air I.ines, "t-ihich operate between Pittsburgh and Washing- . --~·· ton and with which he declared hL-uself to be fa--:1iliar. This 'testimony satis­ f'actorily establishes t!:..at the plene ref'erred to by these witnesses was Flight 1, as all other aircraft h~10Wli to have been in the air and in that area with­ in the period concerned, have been othe~vise accounted for. .. · .... 1453 8

.~ - .

· .. _-- -._::: .... oo:.• ... - .... ;. -3-

Further ev1uence to st1pport the finding of ths Bu.re:1u of Air Corxmerce, that the plane was not on tl:e northeast leg of the Pittsburgh radio range, comes from the 10 o'clock report from the pilot, in ,_.,hich he e stirno.ted his position as over Ch~stnut Ridge. T~·-.is report shews that t.e v:as still bas­ ing his position estll1Qtes on thP- direct c~~den-?ittsburgh compass course and was not using tl·:.e northeast J.eg o:f the Pittsbur-gh radio range as a course. Otherwise, if he had 'beli~ved he v:ere on the northeast leg of the Pittsburgh range and had. flown from the point 1.·:here this leg crosses the north leg of the Bt1ckstown range to the point where it crosses C~estnut Ridge, only 15 miles in 11 minutes, he would have had t~ reduce his cruising speed from about 160 miles per hour to about 82 miles per hour. 'I')' During this 11-minute interval, another TNA plane, F.iight 21, bound non­ stop from Ne·:!ark to Pittsburgh and due to arrive there at about the same ti~e as Flight 1, had, according to the pilot's log, reported crossing the north -

i leg of the B~cksto\Yn radio range on the northeast leg of the Pittsburgh radio _ range at 9:51 a.m., two minutes after Flir;ht 1 had reported crossing the north ·: . ~ leg of the Bi:.ckstown range. Flie-,ht 21 also wa·s a Do\~r.las J.:odel DC-2 and of the s~e general speed and performance as FJ.i~ht 1. At 10 a.m., Fli.;ht 21_ estima­ ted its position as over Blairsville, Pa., at the same t~e that Flight 1 re­ ported jts estLnated position as over Chestnut Ridge. From this, if _it is to be inferred that the two :planes were on the same range course, Flight 21 in a short distance hod advanced beyond Flight 1 and was leading the latter by sev-; eral minutes. . t . ~ . However, there is no record of a report from the pilot of Flight 1 that )-. : ··-J"_ he had been forced to slow do~n or had voluntarily done so. It is therefore . } fr :· concluded tha.t Flight 1 was not on the north3ast leg of the Pittsburgh radio range during the interval in question. · ..~ . ' . ~~-.·.··

- "!.,. Flight 21, which was flying on the northeast leg of the Pittsburgh radio range, reaclled the Pittsburgh air line terminal without difficulty • .,··. ~-~ At about the time.Pilot Ferguson was reporting his estimated position as over Chestnut Ridge at 10 a,1.1,, witnesses at Big Springs SUmmit, which is on · ·La~rel Rill and is about 2t miles northwest of Bakersville, Pa., observed ~ large, gray, two-engined airplane flying through the lower edge of the clouds, headed west. Big Springs Swmuit is 24 miles west of the Buckstown radio ~alige ·

- :.. .. ~ anci 16 :miles south of the direct Camden-Pi ttsbur~ compass course ... .. ·t Then, at 10:09 a,n., Pilot Ferguson reported his estimated position a~ l.O . miles east of Pittsburgh, but at 10:10 a.m.· or one minute later, the airplane· . f .~ -~~· '\'las heard and seen by witnesses in the vicinity of Connellsville, Pa., which ·· is about 30 miles southeast of the Pittsburgh Airport. At approximately 10; 20

;~ a.m., the plane crashed at a point 12 miles east and 39 miles south of the - r,.,. ~{- Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Airport, the air line terminal. Further details of the flight from Camden to the scene of·the aceident · 'follow: \ _

After leaving Camden, and in accordance with operating procedure, Pilot · Ferguson made· his first position report by radio to his company station at 9:00 a.m., while flying two miles west o~ Lancaster, Pa• As he could see the grouna, there is no reasonable question as to the accuracy of this Particular position~ 14538 . .;;_·:, ..::

_____..... _:-.·--:----·-;-"'C.·-----~·----·:-...... -- .. --·- .· .· .: ~-:-~~,·;:c~=:-.. -:_. ~;~T~~~~,:,. -·~;-

_... !

.. ·-~~-. :~ ,._ ::· -~ <:·.::·· t" .:~4·-::-- _::· 0 .,~~-- _,._ ~~.·· •• :,: -4-

The pilot's next ropcn·t ;'laced i:im as c:n ssing the south leE:; of the Ear­ risburg radio 1·ange at 9:10 a.!". There is no recso:-1 to cr.. 1.estion the occaracy ; of this po3itjon. Tli.e usual flight rath at thin p~int wht:n flying with the L .. ground .in si@).lt, is approxin~ately 7 miles south of the Harrisburg airp_ort. In this vicinity, the :pilot clinbed into or allove the clouds beyond the sight of ground, P~d flew ny instru~ents, a nor~l procedure.

At this point cogniza~ce is taken of the ot~er TvA plane, FliGht 21, pi­ loted by R. 11.~. Lars6n and bound non-stop i'rOl'!l Ne·:ark to Pittsburgh. Because of a late start, it was due to arrive at Pittsburgh at e::pproximately the same time as Flight 1. ~-Thercas I·i1ot Ferguson crossed the south leg of the Harris­ .. ',;. burg radio ranc;e at 9:10 a.m., Pilot ~"lrson reported that he crossed the north leg or that radio beam at S:l2. This p1aces the two planes running at about 2 minutes apart and because they were co~verging on Pittsburgh with both flying: in or a~ove the clouds, the pilots establiEhed radio co~unication between ·themselves and a5reed that Pj.lot Larson would f'ly at 5, 000 feet and Pilot Fer­ guson at 4,500, to .Preclude eny :rossibiJ.i ty of a collision as their respective courses came closer tosether.

The next report from Flight 1, at_ g: 21 a o!ll•, was that the plane 1;:ou],d cross the. south leg or the Bellefonte, Pa., redio range, south of the west leg of the Earrisourg ra.c1.io ra."'lge. The crossing was logged by the pilot at 9:30 a.m., and so rep<;>rted to the T~fA ground station at Cresson, Pa., at 9:31a.m. This message definitely showed that Tilot Ferguson, navigating entirely by in- . strwnents, was flying a direct compass course and was not using the west leg of the Harrisburg radio range as a course as is required under these circum­ stances. It l)laces t!le pilot's intended course as somewhere S')uth of Mount ·union, Fa. Fli~ht 21 re~rted crossing the south leg of the Bellefonte radio· range at 9:31a.m. a ninute later. There is no occasion to_ doubt the accuracy of these reports.

At 9:49 a.m., Pilot Ferguson radioed t~at he had crossed the north leg ot the Buckstovni radio range. This massage was typed by the 'fi!;A radio operator at Pittsburgh as i'ollows: "N Lm BK 49 AT 4900 IN A TWILIGHT PG" -- (North~ leg of Bucksto~m ranee at 9:49 a.m. at altitude of 4900 feet in A twilight . zone of the Pi ttscurgh radio range. T"ne phrase "in A twilight zone", in this . report, means somewhere south of the northeast leg o~ the Pittsburgh radio range.) A portion of this JJessage was X-ed out by typewrite~ by the TWA radio operator at Pi ttsbu:rgh and the message changed to read: "N LEG BK 49 AT 4500 ONE lEG PG !-mvi RA.~GE" -- (North leg I~ckstown ranee at 9:49 a.m. at 4500 feet on the east leg of the Fi ttsburgh new radio range. In this report "east leg" means northeast leg.} - . ,.. ~-· . This correction, which naterially changed the originally recorded posi­ tion of the airplane, may have been the result of the THA radio operator at _,t:j ~ Q .pj_ttsburgn confusing a call. at 9:51 a.l!l. from Pilot· Larson of Flight 21, who ··•.·..... ~ reported crossing •the north leg of tbe Euckstown radio range on the northeast . . ~ ·. . - ...... l"f.. leg of the Pi ttsburgb. 'radio ranGe. The B'..!reau of Air Commerce believes that ·. ·.- ·.·.-· .. ~·. the origL'"lally_recorded position report frora Flight 1. is as Pilot Ferguson ..· ... .'t. communicated it. Also, the oriiinally re.corded message more accurately de­

.:. ·-·· ... ·= -~:-: fines the })osition E.t lt.rhich the pilot ex;,ected to be, according to his flight ··~ -- plan and :pt·evious ::;.osition rejiOrts. There was no record of Flight 21's 9:51 position report at the Pittsburgh T:JA t;round station, althoueh there is a. record in Flight 21's log that such a report was made ~d Pilot Larson so testified at the public inquiry. 14538 '·• ) :~··. ... ~ .-. -...... ·>·' .-,~- ·::··. -·.-

As prsviously Etoteu, at 10: OC a.m., :i?j lot Ferguson esti!"J.ated his :posi­ tion es over Caestn~t Ridbe at an ultitude of 3800 feet, and so reported. At t.he sar::e time, :r.li[')lt 21 re)orted its esti::na.ted position as over Blairs-· ville at m1 nltitude of 4500 feet.

The last radio re1:~rt 1'rom Flight 1 of record was at 10:09 a.m., and was to the airport control to:·:er at ?i ttsburgh. The pilot gave his esti!:lated po­ si tjon as lJ r:1iles east of Pi ttsbu1·gh, his altitude as 3,000 feet, and "on instrunents". At this tir-1e Pilot Jierguson asked for posi tiona of other air­ planes and for clearance to land. T.le requested i11..formation and clearance to land were given, and. in acknowledging its receipt, the ~ilot told the control : to~·-rer, "You are very v:eak." Nothil"'..g r:~ore was heard from the ].)lane until about: 1:35 ;>.m., ~·!hen the air hostess, l!:iss Granger, telephoned the Pittsburgh office of T~:~A that the plane had met with an accident at a point near Fairchance.•

l(eanwhile, Flight 21 a?peared over the Pi ttsburgh.:.Allegheny County Air~ ... port "on instruments" at approximately 10:23 and landed -at 10:30 [.l.m. The . airport ceiling at t~is time ru1d during the previous half hour was 1700 feet.

Detailed evidence as to the course actually flown, according to testimony of witnesses, follows:

The first reports from witnesses on the ground tending to show that Flight 1 was not on the radio range courses marked by the Harrisburg and Pitts· ..·. burgh stations (which already has been shotq,n by the plane's position reports) : )~ or even on the compass course which the pilot intended to fly, came frolil wit- : nesses at the Buckstown Denartment of Conmerce intermediate landing field. Their testL.-uony already ha-~ been referred to in the fore·part of this report • ... At a time given as between 10 and 10:30 a.m., witnesses at Big Springs ~·. ·•··. -· : . - I'. . .;'/:·:.· Sulmi t saw what is believed to have been Flight 1 flying west through the lo.w~ er edge of the clouds. The altit~de of Big S]rings &4mnit is 2900 feet. SUb~

. . . ~ sequent events indicate that the plane passed over Big Springs Summit at appro) f imately 10:00 a.m., at which t~e Pilot Ferguson was reporting his estimated position as over Chestnut ~idge at 3800 feet. The path of flight, based on the Eucksto··.vn and Big Springs Summit observations, shows a consistent compass· -.. ·: l bearing from the point where the flight went on instruraents, which was in the vicinity of I~arrisburg. This flight path deviates a-pproximately 8 degrees south of the course indicated on the pilot's flight plan •

. -• .. ; . . The airplane was again heard and seen by witnesses in the vicinity of . Connellsville, which is about 30 miles southeast of the Pittsburgh airport, at approximately 10:10 a.m. (At 10:09 the pilot had reported his .estim~ted posi-: tion as 10 miles east of Pittsburgh.) Its flight path at this point was so~th~ westerly, passing about 2f· miles due east of Connellsville~ at a low altitude.~. The g!'ound elevation there is approximately 1900 feet. · · · r. •·t. ...:-·· ·;·.:·. It is also ap:parent :from the evidence obtained near. Connellsville, that ,.. \ the :pilot had descended a considerable amount, which· i·s confirmed by his· radio:.·.· ·i re:ports, the last one of which placed his altitude (above sea ·J.eY.el) as ~,000 .· ... .· . i feet, and that he ::nay then have been trying to identify landmarks in this··· · · <. · I vicinity instead of flying solely by instruments. ' f 14538

·-~---~-~: .. ~-.... --~-·-··· "'"'·----'•- . ·-·~ ... < :.: .. ..-:.·:, ... •.·.... : . ' \ . -. ·, '...... --.-. -6-

'le ~timon:r of 1•,ri tn~ ~si-;S t}i!'?"•.l(h.out the rer:a~:n~er of tl:e fl icht shows def­ ini tcly th::.t the a.i:-:pl:1ne co!lti~l-..:.e:l in a f~e:l~ral s~uthcrly direction, passed to the €ast oi· t:~e St~.1i t J:otel {o:t Chestnut Ridge, ne&r union town, Pc...) , to a r:oint ab~ut t ... ·:o ~.:.Jed :1ort:1'··:est of ?.::' liottsville, Pr-,., and headed westerly up '1 ~-::!:!ll valley in t~:-!c.. Eene:A... tl.l tli:-ec~ion o"! F·.-drcha.'lce. Thr:>ughout this portio::l of t:;.e fli;-;ht the r:ir~_.:!i~c 1:e s flyin.; j·J.st over the trae tops and the ::~ilot 1•.ras obviously tryi~t; to :::t::e'9 th~ s:r·o,.lnd in vj ew while veering to avcid hiche~:- ::il~.s. A li.;ht ::."r~ez~nf rc..in ~!las i'alline at the time and low r r cl.ou~o und fo:. o bsc·..1red the tops of tl~e surrounding rr.ountains.

. ... f ... '": At t:.e point ·.'lhsre the aj.~_:;:}.a!"lo turned -::rest UI» the 3ID.ell valley, it.s al­ ti tu~e Y:e.s E; sti:r;atsd b~.. ~:li tns L:Se::i 11~ ~;;:Jroxi.:uately 100 feet above the ground, e.na. r~t t!let h~it:S!:t it cou~_C. o'_]~r be seen intermittently. This valley is a -: ·. ravine on the southe~st side of Ch(~st~ut Ridg;e w:hich curves toward the north and ::.scends a:J it a);·r:...,a.ches tha s,~~!E1it. Apparently at the end of the ravine the jilot wes sudd~nly confronted with the ridge directly ah&ad, the top of which evidsr..tly h& could. not ~ee, d".le to fog and clouds •. A check of this ~ terrain relative to tlJe ~1ltitude at which th~ airplane was aeon to be flying i • just :r;reviously sho,·:s that, to clear the rj dge, the plane would need to climb . it 650 feet i!l a-,proxinately three-f')_uarte:'s of a ::1ile. - · - . · · . -- . ' ~ . ,.- .. This clir:lb, ttU"nillf tC' the right with the ravine, took t:he airplane into ~ ·. . .'I the lo·:1-han~~ing clouds, thus further o~seuring ~he pilot's vision. At a point •j a.~)yro:r.:i.Til.e.tely on top of the ridge t::.te airplane, still turning to the right, : · J struck a series of· trees and ceme to a stop about 1200 feet beyond the first .~ tree hit • •:. __ ..·_ •."":...:-!... t

The evidence inC.icutes tl~at t~ere 7/aS no illalfunctioning of the aircraf't, . engines or equipro~nt. ~·;hilc general icine conditions were present, ·the plane :... _ was equ:;..:p:ped with devices to re:r~ove ice f~rF.lB.tions fro:r.1 the 1tlings, tail and~~: :.·· ~ :Pro-pellers, and there is no evidence that ice affected its flying character.-_''.. :. ::. istics. Further, there was ~1fficient fuel a·board fflr more than two hours'.': ... ·: flyin€, at the time of the impact an:l there is no evidence t:h.at the :pilot was · ·- ·· . ~. . ~ attsm~ting a landi~:. ·: ~·:··.·. ~.~:·~~... -. ·:- Air c:i~r~= s;~~;a!~s t~~r r~~! oe~~~=t!~c=i~f n~ig:!!:n'~hi ch the BUre,a: ,o;::~~~:;~~f~l; T~e ~'Vo ~i ttsburc;h ra1io ranges were :flight checked by a Bur~au_.-o:r Air-·.t:~t Co1;~,1~rce raclio teet r:,ilot on 1- ... ~.1·cl: 2£ r:u1.d the chE~..racteristics co:cnon to these~, ,.

: .. ·. ~ :. _. radio ranges located i~ r.-:~iu.ntainous country, vrere :flUblished by the BUreau .ill :. ·. ·~ · .. a ''Notice to .\ir;.;.en" G.!lte'.i A:~ril 1, six days before the accident~ and made~._-_'::.. · a1:ailable to all air lines operating t:1rough Fi ttsburgh, including TWA. Fur--.. ther, there is evidence tno.t 'I;~;A pilots on t~'lis run are and have long been:·-'--'_ - familiar with theoe ceneral characteristics. ..·. · ..

;''. - . . -- ~.Ot.:rever, all pilots kno~m to :have been in fli£ht in the .Vicinity of.:;}:·:. \_ Fi tt:;'burgh on the llf):rning of tbe acci~ent end usinB the radio ranges at or~{(;·:_· .. ·, a·oou:'.; the S8r.'!e time Pilot FerBUSOn Vlc;,S in the. air' t:;ave $WOr:il testimony a·t).·!~:· . t~.Le i'cr;:.al DP. ?b..r~ ..~ent of C':):r;;i:erca hearing at Pittsburgh, as follo-ws:·. . _ · ··:., ;~·-:.·· > -. ·:·,~-~:~ :

.­ T-ilot Larson, of r::J.A ::.·lig!!t 21, .who was using the northeast leg o:r the_· ·:.~~· .· · ...... :F·i ttsburzh radio be mil on his fli~ht frolTl Newark to Pi ttsburg.lJ., and .was. du~.;i:.;··~-:_:·-:.. ;;- ~:.~~:~=:': to land at I)i ttsburgh about tne saile tine es Flit;ht _l: '·.-.·.·-~~- ·::.~:.:_·.:~;;~::~~~~;~E(J;!~!~~··i.<31.i~::{~~}:~.s·. ''l.~y beam reception :from ~'tlckstolm in was o .k. I bad· no trouble-. ~.--:::··~~-f·,~~.tt:·;~~·::;· ~::_· ----·-·- --· .. - - . - .... H.... .: : ·. ·.·.· •. -~- :•

. . ._.. . .. -- .. d~~:~~-~.'-- ~ ::~:~·- ~ .· . ;. ~ .-. . ·.. - .. ·.... '. _· .. -'7-:

?ilot R. s. Leroy, of the ?ennoylv~nia St:ttc "Qj_vi=.:ion of JtE-rone.utics, left Pittsburgh at 9 a.m. for Ear1·isbu:rg a.."'ld flew 0ut on th£ northeast leg. Because of icing conditions, end no special de-ici:1p equiJ:tr:ent on his a.ir­ ;:le.ne, be retur-ned to tl:e rdr~ort after beinG o-ut about 20 r:1:i.nutes. In this flight he used the right he:.nd side of' the be&":'. goinr: 0nt e.nd the rie;ht hand side coming back and reiJorted r.o C.if'ficul t~,..

Pilot "Ho!'ace .Starke, of' Centr3.l Air Lines, f'ler; ir:to Pittsburgh on the northwest leg of the Pi ttsbur~h radio ranee fro:~ .A:.""J:oi!, Ohio, and landed at 9:37 a.m. He repcrted the range "vers- g;:,od". ·.n1en ho landed, Pilot Fereuson we.s then sc~ewhe:re between the south leg of the Bellefonte and the north leG of' the Pucksto~~ radio ranses.

Pilot Harry L. ~ith of Penns.ylvenia Air Lines left Cleveland at 8:32 a.m. and arrived at Pittsburgh at 9:2?, usin~ the northwest leg o:r the Pitts­ burgh radio range. He depe.rted for ~)Tashington e.t 9:44 a.m. and :rollowed the southeast J.eg of the bea:n until 10:33 a.m. -- a per-iod during which the acci­ dent occurred. Ee testified: "Our radio beam reception W3.s satisfactory all the way." He crossed the south J:eg o!' the Buc!t;:stov-m ran@:e at 10:19 and ar­ rived ir. ~!eshington at 11:15 a.L.l. ;. ··-· ~~§;~:[r:·;.~. ~:i~:;:~; 8~~~:~~~~i. ~~;:~~:~!;:~;~gf~]~:jgs~~~:;;f s~E;:i:i~:;!r- , ·.. notice any unusual characteristics." Because o:' icing conditions beneath, he decided to proceed to ClevelarA where he landed 15 ~inutes overdue, ·~~hich I attribute to win

.o.·• ~ r'• .-. .. :· Pilot Otis F. E!""Jari, of 'ETA, chief' pilot of· the company's eastern ·di vi- 1 ·.. • .. . :.-: .~-: ... .' '. sion, and riding as co-pilot on Flight 6 from Coluwbus, Ohio, arrived at a a('. .-2. point 16 miles southwest of' Pittsburgh at 10:20 aom. end after waiting for . . --~~y:~,~~·~~---· -~ >~. 1···:--~-~ -~ :.. . clearance, landed at lO: 41 a.m. Pilot Bryan testified he :round a "dead spot" in the bean ebout 8 or 10 miles southw'est of the eirport. {There is ho evi- . dence that Pilot Ferguson at any time was VJest or south~·Jest of' the Pittsburgh : .... a~rport or radio _~ange stati~~s.) -- ···. •: · · · <'.: _-:::·::Pilo·t E. :1. Day, ·of Central Air Lines, testi:f"ied he left Washington at ·. .·. . .-.. -9.:10. a~m. and shortly thereafter he ::dcked ·up the Pittsburgh beam. He crossed · ·. ·:rJ<,· . ::··-·:· the ·3uckstot-vn ·beam "on instruE.ents" between ? ,000 and 10,000 feet at 10:03 ···_.. :·~··. , :_ .·· -~ · a.m~, and because o:r L.eav.r icing conci.itions at his present and loVler altitudes, · .;· :":·-···:.>:ot·· .~~.·:he en~e·avored to reac~ the top of' the clouds which 1-vere rr..ore than 16,000 feet. . ~ -~-~-~ ·In this endeavor, he encountered strong winds :from the southwest, was blown to .. -.~ ~ '.:.::· '·iL~·::'~;.:· _the~ ncrt~1east and e·ventually la:nded e.t :Erie, Pa., at 1:10 _:p.m. Because of his · ·!:::}5./:;_ ... _efforts ·to. get a:'Vay from the ice and to surraount the high cloud banks, he said tr::r.,.,:.-:s. _",_.. h•l ...... _ . . - • . · ~ :([;~·.:!':·:·.':·:~·-,.~ ·he us~d: the Pittsburgh bear1 ver:y 1ittl e • .- ~---·- ._ .. .-~~ ~ :·;:- . ~ ~ r:. t;~<~.~~.... . ~... ~ . • . . -·--~ - ..... ·.<.~- · . .· Th.e forego inc testimony accounts ~or all :rour le5s o:r the Pittsburgh radio range while Pilot Fergueon was in the air. · Also, in all cases the airmen tea..;.-. \. tified they were tuned to the new ste..ticn, ~1 though the older o:p.e was in oper~· . ation· at the same time and was avc.ila'blc at their o:ption on another frequency •.

. - .. -·. - .· ~ ·: .. ~~::.-· ..: :J/ .: .. .An a!!al~- ei s of' the evidence obtained by the furcau of Air Commerce, bot.b llt t~s scc~ne of tht?. accident e.:1d e.t puclic hearings conducted at Union ..vow:: and :-·i ttsb:1rgh, ::.ilal:es it ar:pa-rent that tho pilot, following a straight co~rass courfe out of C~den for Pittsburgh, continued this com­ pass course. efter it became necessary for him to resort to instrt'lt-nent fly­ inp: in the vicinity of Harrisburg, and ths.t he did. not r•roceed to and fol­ lov.' the c o·..:.:rEe s marked by the west leg of tha :r:arri sburg radio rung~ and the northeast leg .of the Pittsbu~gh range. There j.s no evidence placing the plane on these radio courses either by witnesses or by a radio report from the plane announcine a che.nge in the flizht plan.

It is further apparent that from Harrisburg west, the pilot's correc- · _, tion for cross-wind drift V!as in er:!:·or because the actual course he flew ' 1'!as a:p:proxir;:ately 8 deg:;:-ees to the south of the intended course and the ~ne he believed he was following o ~.ae south and north ~.egs of the Bellefonte and Buckstown radio ranges respectively, which crossed his course at approx­ imately right angle_s, would give the pilot chec~-:s on the westerly progress of the flight only, and were used· b:.r him for ~his purpose. However, they_·~· would not be eY-pected to disclose 'a small a.mOunt of drift to the north. or south. .As e. result of thia deviation from the intended ·course, the airplane;' . according tc witnesses, passed ~outh oi' the ·Bu.ckstm'm field .at a poin:t a:p- : · ·.;·.,.- :.< \ :proximately 15 ·miles south of the intended cot:.rse and _.epperently_ without ~J;l.e =· .. · .. pilot' s being e. ware. of this discrepancy~ '' : ... · .· _:: .. :'. '· ·· .- · · :. · · . · · . ·· : . · ·- : :·

\':: . :· : :~.-~.. ; ·,- ,-. After the Buckstown crossi~ Pilot Ferguson ~ontiiu.ied .the .sw-ne ~o~wse he had been flying which actually was south of the route he ~houg~~ ~he w~s following. Consequently, he crossed the southeast leg of the Pi ttsquxgh .. · radio range at a point about 35 miles sout~east of Fi ttsburgh. A f:~tfi.. ··ino- . mentslater he altered his course to· the southvlard, obviously thiDking that he had just c!"ossed the northeast leg of the Pittsburgh radio rangEt• -This · -· change of course to the southward, indicates conclu~ively that P~lo't Ferg~-. son believed he had crossed ·the northeast leg instead of the. so~theast leg~ To determine which of the two legs he had crossed, it was necessary for h~ to Ltal{e so:r.1e kind of a turn, since the signals in crossing either leg ·f'rom · the "A" zo~e to an ''l~" zone are "On Course" {represented by a long dash) · . and ''N" (dash dot) • If there . had been any reason i'or, the pilot to assu-::ne ·:·. ·... he had just crossed. the. southeast leg, the .tu'I·ri:-·}vhich' he normally would : ···: · ...... ~--: .. ~ have m:!cie to chec}c his posi-tion. would have ~een··~aturaily to .. tile right o~. . northward ef"ter crossil"'_g the J.eg, since. this ·direction wou~d bring him . · :~.:.: .. ·~ ::-.. . .·l back onto the sou thes st lei~ i ',').~ .:/ ' ',<2f; :, >¥.;·~ ·_:;>)(;"r';)i ;c·: :· '-'fZ> :~(.. 0 X. ·.. ·.. ;;)JO' :-\ · . . -. . . f . ._ .. : t After a few IDlnutes i'lying ·in a southerly ... d.lr~cti... ~ri .an·a·' ~t ~p:proxlmatei;~(:-; .. , 10: 09 a.m.' he reported his :position. as 10 miles east of. the air terminal at •. .. ~, . Pittsburgh, a natural conclusion since he believed he had· crossed the north'"!" ....~ · •. ,·. •tr . ~ east leg of the Pittsburgh range ·a.nd .v.ras still. basing. h:ls. cal:_culationa on ·:::;'·.:;~:_:· :-_--:.:~:::~." ..· ...\ . . ·~ ground speeds !ilade between previoll:a c~ec~ point~: .:,. :_. . ji_.:.:.:~.··/~<. · ·:-:- :,.; ~ 's:. ·:~- .. -.. :'\1·.,·~:~~~·~·-_;.// ·~-- ~ However, as the time of ~he. crash ~a· fix:~· at a~pr~~~~~~1;;~0.:20. a~~:.~:' .,, :··, the airplane could not have flovm from the reported pos:t~ion. 10 miles east ot _·_;.: / .· the Pittsburgh air terminal to the point of the.C?-cciqent_·~.;... a _d!st~ce ·of a~o~t_:' ·.. · . 45 :miles, at an altitude of 3, 000 feet ·:o:r ·lower where· _n.c,···i:telping winds exi~t-~q.!·,~_,·\ -:~ and OVer the route reported by Witnesses :._ in· ll m:i.nutes~ as thiS VIOti.ld )lav~ ·:·,~,:<·.,·:·~\~ . .. . , required a speed substantially in excess· of the 'max~uin ·~ttainable ··speed ·of .. ·!~}~~~{_\· _: .

. ~

.~. '.~::::·:1 :·.: ·.:_~~. ·::.-..\·

-r • ... - -.;.·• ~. ;. .. ~ . . .~ . .. -~~- i Therefore, the conclusion of the :Surcm.l of Air Co!TJ:;.erce is that tl:e air­ .. ~ plane VJas ouch f'arther snuth 3nd ee.st of ti·~c po si tio:t r:lot Ferc;uron l'e})orted at 10:09 a.:-:1., and. t!lat he nc·:er roached. the posi. tion. he had calculated. This is supported 'by the fact tl.1at the ;Jil0t reported the signel strength of the Pit.tsbureh radio control t~Jwer as '~'1eak", which would be eJ:pected at a ·point as .far awo.y ~o Connellsville (~·:here the plane was seen e...Tld heard at 10:10 a.m.}, nearly at the li~it of the transmitting range of the Pittsburgh a_irport :::-adio control t~wer. .. When Pilot Ferguson di scovereC1 he was off his course, either by Visual ob· •· . ·rI· servations or signels from the radio range which told him defiuitely that he 1;._ !•- . v:as in the "N" zone south of Pittsburgh instead of the ''N" zone north of the . ~... •. • •· ~~ J( . : . ' ;:~ airport as he may initially ha"'le asstnr.ed, the airr>lane was flying at a low .· .. >-~~ ·_ altitude, following the main valley alone the east side of Chestnut Ridge. ... He evidently concluded to continue at a low elevation and keep the ground in -.!~,- , .. -.:~.!··-·~·- \ . • •• . 7 i'. _.. ; sight, until he could determine his exact location or find an opportunity to_ ·. , :~",;.::, .. :.

...... r·- , . ~ head west out of the mountains and into better weather conditions. This lat-. -·:>"·''.:•;; __, · , . r .-- ter :Procedure brought hm into the ravine with fatal results. _, ~::·: :'.- .:;'(:~:~-~>

···: .· ...... FI!'IDI},.'}S 0]" 'Yrl:E Bl"REAU OF AIR COl.~MERCE ·:.. ·..,. It is the opinion of the Bureau of .A.ir Commerce that the probable ·cauae ·: .. . · ...... :;· of this acciC:ent was poor judgment on the part of Pilot Ferguson for flying by_ ...... ·~~~;\ j_ ··~ . vimtal grou_~d observation methods after having descended through the clouds

and oveJ;cast in mountainous terrain at a point -qnlmown to him. ··Because of low· . . . ·~:- ·..,~ ... \ ·t--:~:~·~·· cl9uds and poor visibility, this required flying close to the groUnd whereas . ..· ·. . the safest nethod under such circun:stences is to cJ.imb into or above the over~ ::. :_ , ,.::_· &~. . -·.:;··~/ . . ·...... ,-,' /:'·>};. cast to a safe altitude and determine the location of. the p;Lane by instruments _~;~0g\;,1"~ · -- .. · ana radio. __ -- ·-·: /':- --~ -r~r~P.. - :t~.:::.:. !("~-----. :·_· ·.·_. . : . -.···- :~,-~,: ·:·." ~· ~",:p::}(

--?/l~iY_;,:_·--;· ~ ';:•~:,; ~ .Contr:~u~;~;si~c;::::;;~::;;::;~;;:~~:r:;e~u!!; r;!!;~~ } ~ < -._-.:_i_:_-_:~._-.:_·.·_(_·_.:_.. ;.l.i.- .• _· _ _-: .._~'~ ::-~t:- ,·:-,.: ... :: ·: :' . before ~ascending thro~g: th: ~vercas~ in preparation i'or ... ~ -~: 2 -s_ •• ---~--r~::r.I\:· J',: ..: ;; __• --- · ;~!:;;~i:~;:::~~~~:~~~~~::;: :!~~ :S;:~a~!~r::;~ -to- :~:--~·:;-:t:.' ,. ·,, :. instrument flying in t!le vicini-ty of Harrisburg due to weather conditions and ~ailure to complete his flight on the riBht bend side of the northeast leg of the Pitis burgh · radio ra.Il[;e, as provided for by both Depa.J;'tment pf Commerce . and TYlA regulations. · -· ·

Respectfully su~it~ed:

-o- .

. : :...:..:.::-. ·.- ... :-.:-:. - . ... ,. ,. . , .'. ·.;···. ···-····Dir~~~!~j~:~~1~·;_~~~ ... 1/ ..• •; ... .. •:_. _·.·~ :_... . .:·~,".>'~~ ,:::~.;, :.<··:: . ·::-: .'· ._ ._: ·_ •. -:·- ~~- .· . .-- .

. . . :-:- : :. ·.. .. ---...... , . . . .

I ,· _r:, .

" - ..

• ,._l ··I: il~l ~- p~<...• ¥J~r-- :~~ry~'l~~o;-~ Iflit.~ :::.·-~:-r .r . . ·.. _ }/ t.·:~_}__:?_ ~J ~- ::-: ' .·.: ·.... ·-.' ... -. }··. .. .. ---- ~ -~ ~- . : ~

~:-· ..:: J'r: ·:.> ..- . ·... . ·· ...... :· ... .. '.,/~J! cw~ · .-~ . I' I I

I I I I I I ...... ~ •. I ' .;· '., '' ,;_,1 ''I' . -~· .• ·; •. ,".;, •. l.f; 1..

j 4; I • ,; •", ~ ·, ~ •~ o " ·. . ~·· : .

." .. ~ : ' #' ....···y·.. . ··.·,' . ·~

''N~ Zof\.e

.· ®Cre.ffon

------­ --·------'1:>ep3rrmenr o/Co;n;nerce 0 ,· . ./ncernzcdiare .£ana'}n_Y'/ir:/Q' _,

Coarcre .acr~a/g/;jmwn·as rt'lOorred'o/_wzY/l&Jfes.,~on.lhe .~ _

,... · --····- ··------~·~- -~roona'~~o~~:;llackJro;rn;7!z.~.. ~to~fhe.~~end(ol'l'he~Yl{?rht.': ..;:~;·.~·::~L~.:.--· ;··.·~·;::}·~~~-·~- .· _·_:·.·-~~- .. 4 ,. , • 1 • t. • "'t • • ,- lo • o ••

Co17?_pass cov~se,~(:tam~n~Acir.Oll'?jr4.;.1 ~he t/lleno'ea' cour...r&.~~:~~;::~·~ ... .-· :;·· . ,J . · . . ·.· .. : .!·).:'~:~~~1~~~i:L: ;' /;~i,; ); . ~~~~~~