Martin 2-0-2 – N93054 – Air Crash Data

Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 16 January 1951

Aircraft Type: Martin 2-0-2

Owner/operator: Northwest Orient Airlines

Registration Number: N93054

Location: 19 km W of Reardan, WA – ÿ United States of America

Phase of Flight: En route

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10

Component Affected: Right engine oil cooler.Right engine oil cooler.

Investigating Agency: CABCAB

Category: Accident

On Flight 115, a commercial aircraft experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent to the ground following a series of events beginning in Billings, Montana. The flight started on schedule, but experienced significant delays due to head winds and ramp congestion at Billings. Upon arrival in Kalispel, Montana, the crew was changed, leading to a subsequent late departure. Subsequent stops in Spokane, Washington, resulted in a delay of approximately twenty-five minutes due to station delays and a high oil temperature in the right engine, which was attributed to ice or snow in the oil cooler. The aircraft then landed at Spokane, where it experienced a late arrival due to head winds and station delays, and was subsequently found to have impacted the ground at an altitude of 2,310 feet MSL. The flight’s emergency message was broadcast shortly before requesting clearance to Yakima, Washington, and the weather conditions at Yakima were below minimums. The pilot subsequently lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a ground impact.On Flight 115, a commercial aircraft experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent to the ground following a series of events beginning in Billings, Montana. The flight started on schedule, but experienced significant delays due to head winds and ramp congestion at Billings. Upon arrival in Kalispel, Montana, the crew was changed, leading to a subsequent late departure. Subsequent stops in Spokane, Washington, resulted in a delay of approximately twenty-five minutes due to station delays and a high oil temperature in the right engine, which was attributed to ice or snow in the oil cooler. The aircraft then landed at Spokane, where it experienced a late arrival due to head winds and station delays, and was subsequently found to have impacted the ground at an altitude of 2,310 feet MSL. The flight’s emergency message was broadcast shortly before requesting clearance to Yakima, Washington, and the weather conditions at Yakima were below minimums. The pilot subsequently lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a ground impact.

Description

Flight 115 originated at Minneapolis, Minnesota, for Seattle, Washington, with several scheduled stops including Billings, Montana, and Spokane, Washington. It departed Minneapolis at 01:10, on schedule, made two planned stops, and arrived at Billings at 05:12, eight minutes behind schedule because of head winds. At Billings the crew was changed. Departure from Billings was at 05:40, twenty-five minutes late because of ramp congestion. The flight made intermediate stops en route to Kalispel, Montana, without reported incident Between Kalispel and Spokane it radioed that oil temperature in the right engine was high, but shortly radioed that the oil temperature had dropped to normal Landing at Spokane was at 11:22, fifty-two minutes late due to head winds and station delays. Water was found in the right engines oil cooler air scoop, the high oil temperature was attributed to the temporary presence of ice or snow in that scoop. At Spokane the aircraft was checked visually, and departed at 12:04 on an IFR flight plan to cruise at 6,000 feet MSL between Spokane and Wenatchee, Washington. The flight reported having reached the cruising level of 6,000 feet MSL at 12:07. At 12:12 it was given the Wenatchee weather which was below minima. The flight immediately asked clearance to the next scheduled stop, Yakima, where the weather was above minima. While the Spokane radio operator was obtaining the requested clearance, the flight broadcasted an emergency message. This was at about 12:13, only some 15 seconds after asking for the new clearance. No difficulty of any sort had been reported previously. The plane had lost control and struck the ground which was at an altitude of 2,310 feet MSL in a nose-down attitude of about 45 degrees and with its right wing low. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The Board, after extensive study of all evidence determines that the probable cause of this accident was a sudden loss of control for reasons unknown, resulting in rapid descent to the ground.”

Primary Cause

Sudden loss of control due to unknown factors leading to rapid descent to the ground.Sudden loss of control due to unknown factors leading to rapid descent to the ground.

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