25,200,[1] not including de-icer equipment. The aircraft was properly loaded and the weight distributed in such a manner that the c.g. location was within the allowed limits. The evidence indicates that the airplane and its equipment had received the overhauls, periodic inspections, and checks which are required by company practice and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and that the aircraft was in an airworthy condition at the time of its departure from Chicago, Illinois, on the day of the accident.
Flight Personnel
The crew of the flight in question consisted of Captain Eugene S. Shank, First Officer Donald H. Nygren, and Phyllis Hallum (Mrs. Nick Berklacich), stewardess.
Captain Shank, aged 37, had been employed by Northwest as a captain since March 23, 1937. He had had approximately 21 years flying experience, and was chief pilot and check pilot for Northwest at the time the accident occurred. He held an airline pilot certificate with a multi-engine 400–3150 h.p. rating and had a total of 13,899 hours flying time, of which approximately 2,273 hours had been on
- ↑ The "standard weight" of an airplane is the maximum allowable weight for landing while the "provisional weight" of an airplane is the maximum allowable weight for take-off. When an airplane takes off with a weight in excess of the designated standard weight, the weight of the airplane must be reduced by gasoline consumption, prior to arrival at its next scheduled stop, to the extent necessary to bring it within the standard weight for landing. If sufficient gasoline has not been consumed between the time of take off and any emergency landing, gasoline can be dumped by the use of tested and approved dump valves in order to reduce the total weight to the approved weight for landing. At the time of the accident, the weight of the airplane had been reduced slightly below its authorized standard weight.
