Accident
On November 15, 1961, at approximately 1710 local time, 47 minutes after sunset, a ground collision occurred at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. A National Airlines DC-6B, registration N8228H, was attempting a takeoff on runway 09 when it collided with a Northeast Airlines Viscount, registration N6592C, which was completing its landing roll on runway 04R.
Aircraft and Flights
National Airlines Flight 429 originated at Boston with a destination of Norfolk, Virginia, and five intermediate stops. The aircraft was a DC-6B. Northeast Airlines Flight 120 originated at Washington, D.C., with a destination of Boston and an intermediate stop at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The latter aircraft was a Viscount.
Injuries and Damage
There were no serious injuries to either the crew or passengers of the DC-6. However, four passengers of the Viscount received minor cuts and abrasions while deplaning. Both aircraft sustained major damage.
Recommendations
As a result of this accident, the Board recommended to the Federal Aviation Agency that consideration be given to requiring that all restrictive clearances or instructions issued by air traffic control be acknowledged by pilot repetition.
Probable Cause
The Board finds that this ground collision accident occurred as the result of commencement of takeoff by National 429 without clearance. Contributing factors were the failure of tower personnel to provide adequate surveillance of the active runways and to issue an appropriate warning message to the pilot of National 429 alerting him to the impending traffic confliction.