Preliminary Report into the Crash of TWA Flight 6 (1935)

by Bureau of Air Commerce

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
WASHINGTON

May 8, 1935.

The following preliminary report has been submitted today to the Secretary of Commerce by Denis Mulligan, Chief of the Enforcement Section of the Bureau of Air Commerce, now at Kansas City. The complete and final report will be made public following further investigation and public hearings.

"A serious aircraft accident in scheduled air line operation involving licensed aircraft NC-13785 of United States registry, occurred about 3:30 a.m. Monday, May 6, 1935, at a point approximately 5 miles west and 1-1/2 miles south of the town of Atlanta, Macon County, Missouri. The airplane in question was owned and operated by Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc., having its main offices at 1775 Broadway, New York City. At the time of the accident it was being operated on flight No. 6, eastbound, having originated at Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale, California, at 4:00 p.m. May 5. This flight schedule carried passengers, mail and express. It had made one scheduled stop at Albuquerque, New Mexico and then proceeded eastward.

"At the time of scheduled arrival at Kansas City of NC-13785, the ceiling and visibility in and about that place had materially lowered so that a landing was not effected because of the unfavorable weather conditions developing at its terminal, and the existence of more favorable conditions to the north and east of Kansas City. Weather information pertaining to Kirksville and surrounding territory was broadcast to the pilot by the Airways Radio Station at Kansas City and the Department of Commerce intermediate landing field at Kirksville, Mo., and on the four radio frequencies assigned to TWA. Because of the more favorable weather conditions existing at Kirksville, effort was made through the same radio facilities to direct the plane into Kirksville intermediate field. Definite knowledge as to the proper functioning of the Kansas City radio beam and weather broadcast was established by the reports of a second plane in the area at about the same period. The aircraft touched the ground at the above-mentioned point (6 miles west and 1-1/2 miles south of Atlanta). Whether the plane struck the ground while the pilot was attempting to make an emergency landing, or whether because the available fuel supply had been exhausted, or for other reasons, cannot, at this point in our investigation, be decided."

The Bureau of Air Commerce feels that no effort should be spared to make available the new radio approach system which has been successfully tested by the Bureau for the past 18 months and equipment for which has been on order for some months.

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