What happened
On the night of February 10, 1952, an aircraft operating as Flight 101 arrived at Idlewild Airport after a scheduled service from Miami via West Palm Beach and Washington, D.C. Following a routine turnaround inspection and refueling, the plane was prepared for a ferry flight to Newark. Upon arrival at Newark, a second inspection was completed, and the aircraft was loaded with mail, baggage, freight, and 59 passengers. The total takeoff weight was calculated at 83,437 pounds, which remained below the maximum allowable limit.
At approximately 00:13 on February 11, the crew received taxi clearance for Runway 24. After notifying the tower of readiness, the aircraft departed the runway at 00:18. The initial climb appeared standard; however, as the plane passed the Newark Range Station, it was observed to veer right and lose altitude abruptly. The pilot contacted the control tower at 00:19, reporting an engine failure and an intention to return to the airport. Following this transmission, the aircraft continued to drift right at a low altitude before disappearing from view. Shortly after, a fire was reported in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The wreckage was located near the intersection of Scotland Road and Westminster Avenue. The impact resulted in 33 fatalities, including three crew members, 26 passengers, and four individuals on the ground.
Findings
Investigation into the crash of the Douglas DC-6 revealed that the accident was caused by a mechanical failure involving the engines. Specifically, the No. 3 propeller reversed direction during flight while maintaining high power, which was immediately followed by the feathering of the No. 4 propeller. These simultaneous malfunctions prevented the aircraft from maintaining sufficient altitude to recover, leading to the rapid descent and subsequent impact.