Incident Overview
Date: Monday 2 August 1943
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47A-35-DL (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 42-23957
Location: 0,8 km W of Rock Falls, IA –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Component Affected: The entire wingThe entire wing
Category: Accident
A C-47 aircraft experienced a catastrophic crash during an intense thunderstorm en route to Hamilton Field. Turbulence caused excessive stress, leading to a loss of control and a significant wing collapse. The impact resulted in the separation of the wing from the fuselage, culminating in flames and a crash.A C-47 aircraft experienced a catastrophic crash during an intense thunderstorm en route to Hamilton Field. Turbulence caused excessive stress, leading to a loss of control and a significant wing collapse. The impact resulted in the separation of the wing from the fuselage, culminating in flames and a crash.
Description
En route to Hamilton Field the C-47 ran into a severe thunderstorm. Turbulence caused the pilot to lose control of the airplane. He attempted to pull up but this caused too much stress on the airplane. The left wingtip buckled. The entire wing then folded back along the fuselage. It struck the horizontal stabilizer and tore it off as it separated from the fuselage. The C-47 entered a spin and crashed in flames. It appeared that the airplane was overloaded by 2126 pounds.
Primary Cause
Excessive stress caused by turbulence during a severe thunderstorm.Excessive stress caused by turbulence during a severe thunderstorm.Share on:
