What happened
On March 10, 1964, at approximately 08:21, a Douglas C-54B-DC operated by Slick Airways, registered as N384, crashed while attempting an instrument approach to Runway 4R at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. The aircraft was performing a scheduled cargo service originating from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, with a planned stop at Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
During the approach phase, the aircraft struck a lumberyard located roughly 7,000 feet from the displaced threshold of Runway 4R, positioned on the runway's extended centerline. At the time of the accident, local weather conditions were characterized by low visibility due to fog and moderate sleet, with an overcast ceiling at 700 feet and scattered clouds at 400 feet. Winds were recorded at 22 knots from 050 degrees, with gusts reaching 28 knots.
The impact and subsequent fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were 3 fatalities among the crew, which included the pilot, the first officer, and a freight handler.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary cause was the accumulation of ice on the horizontal stabilizer. This ice buildup led to a loss of aerodynamic balancing forces on the aircraft's empennage, which triggered an unrecoverable nose-down pitch at an altitude insufficient for the crew to regain control.