A-26 Crash Near Oklahoma City Due to In-Flight Fuel Explosion (N67148)

Flight Details and Departure Sequence The aircraft departed Bridgeport, Connecticut, for California at 1245 local time with two crew members on board. It made stops at White Plains, New York, and LaGuardia Field, where two passengers boarded. At 1346, the flight departed LaGuardia for Tulsa, Oklahoma, under Visual Flight Rules without a filed flight plan. ## Tulsa Operations and Final Approach In Tulsa, the aircraft was refueled with 906 gallons of gasoline, filling the main tanks, nose tank, and rear fuselage tank to capacity. After a weather briefing from the Tulsa U.S. Weather Bureau Office, an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan was filed with the Air Route Traffic Centre. At 2114 local time, Oklahoma City Airway Communications Station received a radio call from the flight on 126.7 megacycles requesting cancellation of the IFR flight plan and a landing clearance at Oklahoma City. The crew was provided special 2100 local time weather information: 10,000 feet overcast, sky partially obscured, fog, and visibility of 1.5 miles. They were advised to contact Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) on 119.3 megacycles for an IFR landing clearance. The crew stated they desired clearance for Will Rogers Field. This was the final radio contact with the aircraft. ## Crash and Aftermath The aircraft crashed at 2117 local time, 2 3/8 miles northwest of Union City, Oklahoma, and 23 miles west of Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma City. Two explosions were heard in the air before impact, and portions of the empennage and fuselage were recovered along the last 3 miles of the flight path. All four occupants were killed, including George Skakel Sr., founder of Great Lakes Carbon Corporation, and his wife Ann. ## Probable Cause and Safety Actions The official investigation determined the probable cause was the loss of the aircraft's empennage resulting from an in-flight fuel explosion in the aft section of the fuselage. The investigation noted a possible fire and explosion hazard in the rear fuselage area of A-26 aircraft. As a mandatory restriction for A-26-B and A-26-C aircraft with rear fuselage tanks installed in the same compartment as electrical components liable to sparking, the rear fuselage fuel tank must be drained, purged, and marked to prohibit use. Cockpit fuel controls and filler caps must be placarded to inform pilots and servicing personnel.