DC-3 N142D Crash in New Orleans

Incident Overview and Flight Details William Jackson of Travel Associates leased a DC-3, registration N142D, from Avion Airways to transport sportsmen from Memphis to Belize. The aircraft departed Memphis at 04:36 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to New Orleans. ## Approach and Weather Conditions At 06:35, the crew contacted New Orleans approach control, reporting they were out of 3.4 nautical miles for 3,000 feet. The controller instructed them to maintain 3,000 feet and proceed direct to the ILS outer compass locator. The reported weather included partially obscured skies, visibility of 1/16 mile, fog and smoke, an altimeter setting of 30.00, and a runway visual range of less than 600 feet for runway 10. ## Descent and Impact The pilot elected to continue the approach despite the minimum visibility requirement of 2,400 feet and inoperative centerline lights. After receiving vectors for the runway 10 approach, the pilot decided to perform a low pass and continue if the runway lights became visible. The aircraft continued its descent and contacted the runway very hard 1,198 feet past the threshold. It bounced, and after power was applied, the DC-3 struck the ground again 3,100 feet further on. The airplane cartwheeled and caught fire. ## Casualties Some of those killed in the accident included Rodney Baber, Leo Holland, Woodrow Wages, A. R. Tennyson, Fredric Thirkield Jr., John Sunderland, Ralph Peters, W. F. Jameson, and A. J. Cates.