Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 4 December 1943
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 41-19494
Location: 8 km SE of Fort Benning-Lawson AAF, GA –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Propeller control system.Propeller control system.
Category: Accident
A C-47 aircraft, while practicing instrument flying at 3500 feet, experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure due to a second engine overspeeding. The pilot attempted to feather the prop, but these maneuvers failed, resulting in rapid descent and fire. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the ground.A C-47 aircraft, while practicing instrument flying at 3500 feet, experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure due to a second engine overspeeding. The pilot attempted to feather the prop, but these maneuvers failed, resulting in rapid descent and fire. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the ground.
Description
The C-47 had just received a new no. 1 engine and was taken on a local flight to put slow time on the engine. It took off from Lawson Field at 09:46. While practicing instrument flying at an altitude of 3500 feet the no. 2 engine oversped. Propeller control failed and the pilot then attempted to feather the prop. These attempts failed. The airplane began to loose altitude and the crew radioed that they had an emergency and stated that they wanted to land on runway 32. The C-47 descended into the ground and caught fire.
Source of Information
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asphttp://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.aspPrimary Cause
Overspeeding of the second engine during instrument flying.Overspeeding of the second engine during instrument flying.Share on:
