Incident Overview

Date: Sunday 17 July 1955
Aircraft Type: Convair CV-340-32
Owner/operator: Braniff International Airways
Registration Number: N3422
Location: Chicago-Midway Airport, IL (MDW) – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 22 / Occupants: 43
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Investigating Agency: CABCAB
Category: Accident
A Braniff Convair aircraft on a Dallas-Oklahoma City-Wichita-Kansas City-Chicago flight experienced a catastrophic crash during final approach. The aircraft lost visual contact with the runway and descended too low, resulting in a collision with a commercial sign. The aircraft then crashed through the airport boundary fence in flames.A Braniff Convair aircraft on a Dallas-Oklahoma City-Wichita-Kansas City-Chicago flight experienced a catastrophic crash during final approach. The aircraft lost visual contact with the runway and descended too low, resulting in a collision with a commercial sign. The aircraft then crashed through the airport boundary fence in flames.

Description

The Braniff Convair was on operating on the flight Dallas-Oklahoma City-Wichita-Kansas City-Chicago. Departure time a Kansas City was 04:35 as the aircraft started VFR for Chicago. IFR was requested at 05:19. At 05:56 the crew received a weather forecast: thin (1000 feet) obscuration; visibility 1/2 mile. The crew then reported over Napierville at 06:18 and were radar vectored to the runway 13R outer marker for an ILS approach. On final approach the Convair descended too low and collided with a commercial sign. The aircraft then crashed through the airport boundary fence in flames and came to rest inverted. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Momentary disorientation caused by the loss of visual reference during the final visual phase of the approach resulting in an increased rate of descent an altitude too low to effect recovery.”

Primary Cause

Momentary disorientation caused by the loss of visual reference during the final visual phase of the approach resulting in an increased rate of descent an altitude too low to effect recovery.Momentary disorientation caused by the loss of visual reference during the final visual phase of the approach resulting in an increased rate of descent an altitude too low to effect recovery.

Share on:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *