Background
Northeast Airlines Flight 285 was a scheduled passenger operation from Boston, Massachusetts, to New York, New York, with intermediate stops at Hyannis, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. On September 15, 1957, the flight departed on schedule with Captain Vincent L. Pitts, Reserve Captain Roger W. Sweetland serving as copilot, and Stewardess Nancy J. Lehan.
Flight Sequence
The flight proceeded routinely until reaching Martha's Vineyard, where it landed at 2007 after a missed approach due to poor weather. Departure from Martha's Vineyard for New Bedford occurred at 2019, approximately 50 minutes behind schedule, due to the missed approach, IFR delays, and accumulated minor delays. The flight operated under an IFR flight plan in instrument meteorological conditions.
Clearance from Air Route Traffic Control directed the flight to maintain 4,000 feet, climb to 2,500 feet at the Martha's Vineyard radio beacon before proceeding, and report at the Otis radio beacon. Fuel was sufficient for the flight to New Bedford and to the alternate airport, Boston, with required reserve. The aircraft's gross weight was 22,443 pounds, well below the maximum of 25,346 pounds, and the load was within center of gravity limits.
At 2024, the flight reported over the Martha's Vineyard radio beacon at 2,500 feet on course. At 2029, it reported over Otis at 4,000 feet. The flight then contacted Providence approach control, which cleared it to maintain 4,000 feet to the compass locator at the New Bedford middle marker and to report over the marker. Providence subsequently cleared Flight 285 for an approach to New Bedford Airport and requested a report when leaving 4,000 feet. At 2036, the flight reported leaving 4,000 feet.
At 2038, the flight informed the New Bedford tower that it was starting an ILS approach. The tower controller provided weather: indefinite 200 obscuration, visibility one mile, fog, wind southeast 3, altimeter 30.02. The flight was cleared to land via an ILS approach straight in to runway 5 and was asked to call the tower when inbound at the outer marker. Another Northeast flight, 275, which had taken off from runway 23 at 2031, advised Flight 285, "It'll be tight." Flight 285 reported completing the procedure turn and being inbound over the outer marker at 2046, the last communication received.
Accident
The aircraft struck trees and crashed in a dense wooded area 4,000 feet short of the threshold of runway 5. Both pilots and ten passengers were killed, and 12 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was that the pilot attempted to make a visual approach by descending prematurely in the approach area without adherence to the prescribed ILS approach procedure, which was dictated by existing weather conditions.