What happened
On the scheduled flight from Chicago to Newark, New Jersey, a Curtiss C-46 operated by Monarch departed Runway 31 at 02:27. During the takeoff roll, the crew advanced the throttles to approximately 45 inches of manifold pressure and 2700 RPM. The aircraft became airborne midway down the 5,730-foot runway.
Immediately after the captain ordered the landing gear to be retracted, the crew observed that the aircraft was banking to the left and the airspeed had dropped to roughly 85 miles per hour. In an attempt to correct the situation, the copilot applied emergency power, increasing manifold pressure to 55 inches. Despite this effort, the aircraft continued its leftward turn at a very low altitude, reaching a maximum height of only about 25 feet.
The aircraft subsequently struck several small planes parked on the western side of the airfield. The flight path continued past the airport perimeter, where the plane hit a fence and a railroad embankment. Although a fire broke out following the impact, the crew and passengers were able to evacuate the plane before the flames grew significantly. The zero fatalities were reported, but the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors:
- The aircraft's takeoff weight was approximately 1,100 pounds over its authorized limit.
- The takeoff was performed using power levels lower than recommended.
- The aircraft reached airborne status at an airspeed of 85 miles per hour or less, which was below a safe flying speed.
- The aircraft experienced a loss of control due to improper piloting techniques and being overloaded.
- It was also noted that the copilot had not completed the required six-month equipment check for this specific aircraft type.