Incident Overview
During a night mail flight cruising from Syracuse to New York, the crew encountered technical problems with an engine. The aircraft was unable to maintain a safe altitude, leading the crew to jettison the cargo. Despite this measure, the airplane subsequently struck trees and crashed in Milford, New York. Both crew members sustained injuries, one seriously, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Sequence of Events
The flight was operating as a mail service between Syracuse and New York. While cruising at night, the crew noted engine difficulties. Attempting to address the loss of performance, they decided to jettison the cargo in an effort to reduce weight and maintain altitude. However, the aircraft continued to descend and eventually impacted trees before crashing. Emergency response attended the scene, and the injured crew were transported for medical care.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a powerplant failure due to a blower and impeller assembly failure. Reported factors included a lack of lubrication on specific parts, material failure, high obstructions in the area, the jettisoned load, and the forced landing off airport on land. The investigation also noted that damage to the impeller and associated parts resulted from an impeller bearing failure.