What happened
On February 17, an Eastern Air Lines flight scheduled to travel from Evansville, Indiana, to Chicago, Illinois, via Owensboro and Louisville, experienced a fatal accident. The aircraft, a N445A Douglas DC-3, departed Evansville at 14:41 following the filing of an instrument flight plan for the leg to Owensboro. After communicating with company radio personnel at the destination regarding weather and altimeter settings, the crew began their approach in conditions characterized by rain and fog with visibility limited to one mile.
As the aircraft approached the Owensboro airport, it was observed descending through the clouds and maneuvering on a downwind leg for runway 0ob5. During this phase of flight, the aircraft disappeared from view briefly before reappearing while heading toward the landing strip. The plane suddenly impacted the ground with its right wing down, rolled into an inverted position, and slid to a halt near the runway. The impact resulted in the loss of both wings and significant damage to the airframe. While all 23 occupants were evacuated from the wreckage, the aircraft was partially destroyed.
Findings
Investigation into the crash determined that the primary cause was an improperly executed final approach, which led to a stall during a steep left turn at an altitude insufficient for recovery. Although the reported weather conditions were technically above the minimums required for the ADF approach and circling maneuver, the pilot's positioning on the downwind leg necessitated an abnormally sharp turn to align with runway 05. This maneuver left almost no straight-in portion of the approach. During this low-altitude turn, the aircraft rolled from a steep bank to the right and struck the ground short of the intended runway. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure or engine malfunction, nor did they identify thunderstorm turbulence or lightning as contributing factors.