Incident Overview
Date: Wednesday 29 March 1944
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47A-65-DL (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 42-100493
Location: 14 km W of Sanford, NC –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: Auxiliary GeneratorAuxiliary Generator
Category: Accident
A C-47A aircraft experienced an electrical failure during a training flight to Raleigh and Greensboro. The auxiliary generator failed, resulting in a pitot tube malfunction and erroneous airspeed readings. The pilot attempted a descent to return to Pope Field in visual conditions, but encountered rising terrain. The aircraft broke through the clouds as it was approaching.A C-47A aircraft experienced an electrical failure during a training flight to Raleigh and Greensboro. The auxiliary generator failed, resulting in a pitot tube malfunction and erroneous airspeed readings. The pilot attempted a descent to return to Pope Field in visual conditions, but encountered rising terrain. The aircraft broke through the clouds as it was approaching.
Description
The C-47A departed Pope Field on a training flight to Raleigh and Greensboro. It climbed to an altitude of 5000 feet and headed for Raleigh in instrument conditions. En route it experienced electrical problems. The auxiliary generator could no longer be used and the pitot tube heating failed. The pitot tube iced up, causing the airspeed indicator to give erroneous readings. The pilot attempted to descend below the overcast in order to return to Pope in visual conditions. The airplane flew into rising terrain just as it broke through the clouds.
Source of Information
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asphttp://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.aspPrimary Cause
Electrical failure of the auxiliary generator.Electrical failure of the auxiliary generator.Share on:
