Background
Flight 5763 was a military contract flight originating in Oakland, California, with a destination of Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. The flight was scheduled to depart at 0200 on November 5, 1951, but a mechanical delay pushed departure to 0352. The crew consisted of Captain Alec S. Hamilton, Copilot Henry N. Ingram, and Stewardess Frances B. Reilly. There were 26 passengers on board. The IFR flight plan filed with the CAA indicated the first intended landing would be at Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Tucumcari, New Mexico, as the alternate. The plan showed a cruising altitude of 500 on top, an estimated time to Albuquerque of four hours and five minutes, and six hours and fifteen minutes of fuel. At departure, the aircraft weighed 38,939 pounds, within the allowable gross takeoff weight of 39,900 pounds, with the load properly distributed.
Flight History
The company maintained a dispatching office at Oakland to assist crews in planning flights but had no communications facilities for flight supervision. Company pilots were authorized to act as their own dispatchers, using CAA communications for flight control. Before departure, Captain Hamilton was briefed by a U.S. Weather Bureau forecaster at Oakland Airport on enroute weather and forecasts. The available weather information indicated VFR flying weather between Oakland and Albuquerque at a cruising altitude of 11,000 feet, with helping winds averaging 15 to 20 knots along the entire route. The forecast for Tucumcari, the alternate, indicated clear weather until 0500, followed by an overcast with a ceiling of 800 feet and surface winds from the northeast at 15 miles per hour.
The flight was routine until reaching Acomita, New Mexico, at 0755, where it reported being 500 on top at 12,000 feet and estimating Albuquerque at 0811. Following this report, the flight requested to change its flight plan to land at Tucumcari with Amarillo, Texas, as the new alternate. The requested weather for Tucumcari at 0728 was: overcast, 1,500 feet, visibility 20 miles, wind northeast 20 mph. For Amarillo, at 0728: broken clouds 1,700 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet, visibility 8 miles, wind north-northeast 17 mph.
The flight passed over Albuquerque under broken clouds in the clear at 12,000 feet NSL at 0813. Air route traffic control cleared the flight to the Tucumcari Airport via Green Airway No. 4, to maintain 500 on top while in the control area. At 0831, the flight reported being over Anton Chico, New Mexico, at 13,000 feet, estimating Tucumcari at 0852. At this time, the 0828 Tucumcari weather was given: ceiling estimated 1,000 feet, overcast, visibility 3 miles, snow and fog.
Weather and Communications
At approximately 0845, Tucumcari radio cleared the flight to descend to 8,000 feet on the south course of the Tucumcari range, maintain 11,000 feet until two minutes south, then descend outbound and maintain 8,000 feet. At 0851, the flight was cleared to approach the Tucumcari Airport upon reaching 8,000 feet. The flight reported over the Tucumcari range station at 0852 at 11,000 feet, descending to 8,000 feet. At 0901, it reported at 9,000 feet outbound on the south leg. The special 0852 Tucumcari weather was given: ceiling 800 feet, overcast, visibility one mile, light snow and fog, wind north 20 miles per hour with strong gusts. The reported surface visibility was less than the CAA and company minimums of 1.5 miles for the Tucumcari Airport.
At 0907, the flight was cleared to make a standard instrument approach. Amarillo weather was given: ceiling estimated 1,000 feet, broken clouds, overcast 2,000 feet, visibility 5 miles, light snow and fog. The flight was asked if it wished to proceed to Amarillo and replied that it had to land at Tucumcari. At 0909, Tucumcari weather was updated: ceiling 800 feet, overcast, visibility 1/2 mile, light snow and fog, wind north 20 mph. At 0911, the flight reported outbound on the west leg at 8,000 feet, descending to 6,000 feet. The wind was given as north-northwest, variable to north-northeast at 16 mph, and Runway 30 was advised as the runway in use. The flight requested the bearing of this runway, which was corrected to 03, and acknowledged.
At 0915, the flight reported at 6,000 feet inbound on the west leg. Immediately after, Tucumcari radio asked if the flight wanted ARTC to recommend an alternate airport closer than Amarillo. The flight acknowledged and said it had to land at Tucumcari but asked where the alternate would be. The pilot was advised to stand by. The communicator on duty then saw the aircraft cross the field in a northwesterly direction at very low altitude. The pilot was quickly advised to pull up and answered that he was doing so. At 0925, the flight advised it was landing downwind. This was the last radio transmission.
Accident
After several passes over the airport at altitudes varying from 500 feet to as low as 50 feet, the aircraft crashed near the northeast end of Runway 21 at approximately 0929. A flash fire occurred immediately after impact and quickly subsided. Ten passengers were injured, and another was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the captain's attempt to land during less than minimum visibility, rather than proceed to his alternate.