What happened
On November 5, 1951, a military contract flight operating as Flight 5763 departed Oakland, California, for Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. The flight, which included 26 passengers and a crew of three, experienced an initial departure delay due to mechanical issues, eventually taking off at 03:52. During the journey, the crew modified their flight plan, changing their primary destination from Albuquerque to Tucumcari, New Mexico.
As the aircraft approached Tucumcari, weather conditions significantly deteriorated. While earlier reports indicated better visibility, recent updates informed the pilot of heavy fog, snow, and an overcast ceiling of only 800 feet. At approximately 09:15, the flight reported being inbound on the west leg of the range at 6,000 feet. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was observed flying at a very low altitude in a northwesterly direction across the airfield. Despite instructions from radio personnel to climb, the aircraft continued its approach.
After several low-altitude passes over the airport, the aircraft crashed near the northeast end of Runway 21 at approximately 09:29. The impact triggered a brief flash fire that quickly extinguished. The accident resulted in one fatality and ten injuries, while the aircraft was completely destroyed.
Findings
Investigation into the accident determined that the primary cause was the pilot's decision to attempt a landing despite visibility being below established minimums instead of diverting to the alternate airport in Amarillo. Several contributing factors were identified:
- The crew changed their destination to Tucumcari without requesting updated terminal weather forecasts.
- At the time of the approach, surface visibility had dropped to 1/2 mile, which was below the company's required minimum of 1 1/2 miles.
- The pilot failed to execute a missed approach and instead continued multiple landing attempts in marginal conditions.
- The aircraft ultimately lost control during a steep turn, causing the left wing to strike the ground.