What happened
On February 16, 1963, at approximately 18:26 P.S.T., a Curtiss C-40F operated by Zantop Air Transport, Inc. (LOGAIR Flight 60-16) crashed near Thun Field in Washington. The aircraft, registered as N616Z, had departed from McChord AFB roughly seven minutes prior to the accident. During the flight, the aircraft experienced an engine malfunction that led to intermittent propeller overspeeding and an unsuccessful attempt by the crew to feather the propeller.
While attempting to land on runway 17, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. During this phase of flight, the pilot lost control of the plane, causing it to strike a pasture located about half a mile northeast of the airfield. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were two crew members on board; both survived the accident but sustained severe injuries.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the primary cause of the crash was the improper management of an emergency situation triggered by mechanical failure, which prevented a successful single-engine go-around. Additionally, investigators noted that Radar Approach Control failed to supply the pilot with all necessary and accurate information regarding the airfield during the event.