What happened
On December 22, 1954, a DC-3 operated by Johnson Flying Service was conducting a civil air movement flight from Newark, New Jersey, with several planned stops including Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The aircraft, registration N 24320, departed Newark at 20:38 carrying 23 passengers and a crew of five. During the flight, the crew made routine position reports while flying under visual flight rules.
At approximately 22:38, the pilot contacted Pittsburgh radio to inquire about fuel availability at a location they identified as "Johnson Marker," which was interpreted as Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The pilot requested that runway lights at the Johnstown Airport be activated. After being unable to confirm if Johnstown could be reached or if the airport was open, the pilot decided to proceed to the original destination of Allegheny County Airport.
As the flight approached Pittsburgh, the pilot indicated they were low on fuel. At 22:56, while on final approach for runway 27, the aircraft was approximately three miles east of the field. However, at 22:57, the pilot reported that the aircraft was out of gas. The crew reported that both engines had feathered and they were descending at 2,000 feet. At 22:58, the pilot stated they would attempt to set the aircraft down. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from view behind hills southeast of the airport and ditched wheels-up in the Monongahela River at approximately 23:00. The accident resulted in 10 fatalities, including the captain and nine passengers.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion resulting from insufficient flight planning.
- The crew bypassed a suitable refueling opportunity despite being warned about fuel reserves.
- The aircraft was operating at an overloaded weight during takeoff.
- There were deficiencies in crew supervision and training, as the company failed to properly verify crew competency per its operations manual.
- The flight was not conducted in accordance with established company procedures.