Background
Braniff Airways Flight 65 departed Denver, Colorado, at 1535 on March 26, 1952, bound for Dallas, Texas, with scheduled stops at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The crew comprised Captain J. W. Stanford, First Officer J. P. Beakley, and Hostesses Dorothy Currey and Betty Murphy. After a routine flight to Colorado Springs, the aircraft departed at 1620 under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), cleared to cruise at 8,000 feet to LaJunta, Colorado, then descend to 7,000 feet along Red Airway 35 and 59 to Oklahoma City. Company records indicated the aircraft's gross weight and load distribution were within approved limits.
Fire Detection and Response
At 1653, the flight reported over LaJunta at 8,000 feet, descending to 7,000. Four minutes later, the IFR flight plan was canceled and the crew proceeded Visual Flight Rules (VFR) direct to Oklahoma City via Liberal, Kansas. Near Hugoton, Kansas, at approximately 6,000 feet mean sea level (3,000 feet above ground), a hostess alerted the crew that the right wing was on fire. No fire-warning signals had activated, and all engines appeared normal. The captain observed a brilliant red reflection on the inboard surface of the No. 4 engine nacelle through a small window in the forward cargo loading door. Believing the fire to be extensive, he asked the copilot for the fire's location; the copilot thought it was No. 3.
The captain decided to land immediately at a small airport near Hugoton he had spotted moments earlier. He instructed the hostess to inform passengers of the emergency landing, activated the "Fasten seat belt" and "No smoking" signs, disengaged the autopilot, closed the No. 3 engine throttle, set the mixture to idle cutoff, closed the fuel selector valve, and set the propeller to full high pitch. He then dove the aircraft to extinguish the fire and lose altitude. The copilot offered to feather the No. 3 propeller, but the captain declined. At about 230 mph, power was reduced on the remaining three engines. The aircraft turned left from a southeasterly heading to a westerly heading. As speed decreased to approximately 200 mph, the captain pulled the No. 3 fire extinguisher selector valve control handle and discharged the left CO2 bottle, which visibly diminished the reflection on the No. 4 nacelle. The captain believed he asked for the right CO2 bottle discharge, but it was not discharged.
Emergency Landing
The landing gear was lowered and power resumed on the three engines. The fire warning light and bell then activated intermittently. The descent steepened with a series of slipping "S" turns toward the north as the aircraft approached the airport. At about 200–300 feet above the ground, pronounced buffeting occurred, similar to a near-stall condition, making control difficult. It soon ceased, and it was believed the No. 3 engine fell from the aircraft at that time. The indicated airspeed was approximately 150 mph. The captain called for full flaps, but the crew noticed no effect. Moments later, the aircraft touched down in the middle of the airport. The captain applied brakes, but the aircraft did not decelerate. Approaching the north boundary, the captain attempted a left turn to avoid crossing an adjacent road, but the nose steering wheel was inoperative. Left rudder was applied; the aircraft responded quickly, requiring right rudder to prevent a ground loop. After straightening, the captain pulled back on the wheel, lifting the nose wheel, and the aircraft rolled beyond the airport across a highway, through two fences and a ditch, coming to rest in a wheat field.
Evacuation
All occupants evacuated in an orderly manner. Some used descent ropes from the forward compartment and main cabin doors, while others used an emergency exit on the left side of the aircraft.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause was an uncontrollable engine fire of unknown origin which necessitated an immediate landing. Findings included: a fire in the No. 3 engine nacelle requiring immediate landing; the No. 3 engine falling from the aircraft at approximately 300 feet above ground; the fire-detection system malfunctioning; and a safe landing being made on a small airport unsuitable for DC-4 aircraft.