Douglas DC-3A accident at Moline, Illinois, 20 Dec 1942 (NC-16942)

Accident narrative

On December 20, 1942, at approximately 7:52 p.m., a United Air Lines Transport Corporation Douglas DC-3A (NC 16942) received major damage when it overran the runway while landing at Municipal Airport in Moline, Illinois. None of the four passengers or three crew members were injured.

United Trip 8 from Omaha, Nebraska, to New York, N.Y., carried three revenue passengers and a deadheading United first officer. The crew consisted of Captain Wesley Ray Lewis, who had approximately 2,811 solo flying hours including 131 hours as a DC-3 captain, First Officer Don Van Mayne, and Stewardess Virginia Gibson.

After departing Omaha and making a scheduled stop at Des Moines, Iowa, the flight proceeded on instruments at 3,000 feet. At about 7:42 p.m., the first officer contacted the Moline company operator, who reported an east wind at approximately 3 m.p.h., favoring Runway No. 9. The operator also informed the captain that the runways were slick and brakes were not very effective.

At 7:49 p.m., while circling the field, the flight was again advised the wind favored landing east. Guided by the repeated mention of Runway No. 9, the captain made his approach. The airplane crossed the field boundary at about 95 m.p.h. and made wheel contact at approximately 75 m.p.h., about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. Brakes were applied immediately, but the crew noted no braking effect except when crossing a runway intersection. Nearing the east end of the runway, Captain Lewis unlocked the tail wheel and attempted a ground loop using the right engine. The engine sputtered, and the effort was abandoned. The aircraft continued through the airport boundary fence and crashed into the embankment of adjoining Highway No. 150, failing the right landing gear.

The Civil Aeronautics Board found no indication of aircraft failure. Captain Lewis stated that a trace of ice on the wings, which the de-icers did not remove, influenced him to maintain his airspeed until crossing the field boundary; First Officer Mayne made a similar statement.

The Board noted that Moline Airport had three paved runways. The east-west runway (No. 9) was approximately 2,950 feet long, while the others were 3,650 and 4,100 feet long. Runway No. 9 was seldom used due to its shortness. Although warned of poor braking action, the captain was not advised that Runway No. 9 was covered with about three inches of dry snow that had not adhered to the ice below.

The company station manager stated the field had not been inspected for three days prior to the accident. The other two runways were not extremely slippery, as the rough ice surface on them appeared to have been the result of traffic. Because the east wind was negligible, the Board noted a landing could have been accomplished on either of the longer runways. Following the accident, United issued instructions making station managers responsible for actual observations of field conditions.

The Board determined the probable cause was the "slippery condition of the runway which made it impossible for the captain to stop the aircraft within the runway limits." A contributing factor was the "lack of vigilance by the station manager in keeping himself currently informed on the condition of the runway."