7 fatalities

Aircraft Crash Near Woonsocket After Dual Engine Failure Due to Carburetor Icing (N37500)

Woonsocket, United States of AmericaFlight

On December 15, 1958, a Lockheed L-1856 LearStar (registration N37500) operated by Johnson & Johnson was involved in an aviation accident near Woonsocket, United States of America in flight. 7 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue on to his destination in freezing weather after total power loss of one engine from induction icing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781247841Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft en route to Boston crashed after both engines failed from carburetor icing, killing all seven occupants. The plane went out of control and dove into a field five miles southwest of Woonsocket.

Accident Details

An aircraft en route to Boston encountered poor weather conditions with icing. Both carburetors suffered icing in flight, leading to the failure of both engines. The airplane went out of control, dove into the ground, and crashed in a field located five miles southwest of Woonsocket. The airplane was destroyed upon impact. All seven occupants were killed.

Occupants

The crew consisted of pilot Alexander Sable and copilot Edward Luidcinaitis. The passengers were Nelson A. Bergstend, Ferdinand Liot, Stephen Baksal, Raymond Buese, and Jesse Hackney.

Weather Conditions

The flight encountered poor weather conditions with icing, which led to carburetor icing and subsequent engine failure.

Probable Cause

According to the official investigation, the probable cause was the pilot's decision to continue on to his destination in freezing weather after total power loss of one engine from induction icing. Contributing causal factors were the serious deficiency in weather briefing and inadequate information in the Airplane Flight Manual for the most effective use of carburetor anti-icing and deicing.