Lovettsville air disaster

Douglas DC -3A, of identical type of accident machine

The air disaster Lovettsville occurred on August 31, 1940 at 14:41 clock (EST), as a Douglas DC -3A was caught in a thunderstorm. Witnesses said the plane had been struck by lightning and then crashed on the grounds of a farm. Of the 21 passengers and four crew members no one survived the crash. The most prominent accident victim was the Senator from Minnesota, Ernest Lundeen.

Before the start

The DC -3 of the Pennsylvania Central Airlines Flight 19 as should schedule at 13:50 ET Hoover Airport from Washington, DC. start The aim was Detroit / Michigan, a stopover should be done in Pittsburgh / Pennsylvania. Captain was Lowell V. Scroggins, who had more than 11,000 flight hours, including more than 600 aircraft of type DC-3 completed. First officer and co-pilot was J. Paul Moore had the experience of over 6,000 flight hours, including more than 200 on the DC third To further occupation was a stewardess and a secretary of the District Traffic Manager, who had taken on the jump seat space.

The DC-3 with the registration NC21789 was delivered only on 25 May 1940 by the Douglas Aircraft Company to the Pennsylvania Central Airlines. It had two engines Model G- 102-A by Curtiss- Wright, drives the Hamilton propeller with a diameter of almost four meters. The plane, with the turbines and propellers, we had to start on August 31, 1940 565 flying hours.

The plane landed at 11:00 clock EST By Detroit coming in Washington. The flight was routinely without incident. The aircraft was refueled, cleaned and subjected to the usual visual inspections.

Flight

According to flight schedule captain Scroggins should bring DC -3 to the start to a height of 1800 meters and fly over Martinsburg (West Virginia) and Frostburg (Maryland). About Scottsdale (Pennsylvania) Scroggins should fall to 1,200 meters, to begin the landing at Pittsburgh. The start in Washington was delayed first clock to 14:05 EST. Captain Scroggins noticed on the start position after starting the machine, the display for the oil pressure indicating a lower value for the right machine. Scroggins had the engine push back a mechanic changed out the oil filter. 14:21 clock EST machine could finally start.

The weather forecast for the United States Weather Bureau for the region Washington - Pittsburg for the period from 11:30 clock to 19:30 clock EST overtaken by Captain Scroggins. The report said cloud cover over the eastern mountains ahead. Scattered Showers in the mountains and light thunderstorm activity was expected for the afternoon. Wind speeds of 30 to 50 km / h from the west was predicted.

Crash

14:31 clock EST radioed that Flight 19 a position report. The DC-3 was located above the beacon of Herndon (Virginia) at 1200 meters climb. 14:41 clock Est plane crashed about four kilometers west of Lovettsville and 25 kilometers northwest from the beacon. It was after the position report no further radio transmissions the DC third Eyewitnesses who lived near the crash site reported have consistently seen from an airplane that flew in the area shortly before the crash. So said a resident of Lovettsville, who lived about six miles east of the accident site, from, they 've noticed an airplane that flew north-west in the direction of Short Hills, which were surrounded by dark storm clouds. Dei woman saw that the aircraft flew into the storm. There were lightning strikes just before the machine affected the view of woman. Then she heard the distant thunder of the storm and a few seconds later a strong roar. The witness testified that airplanes fly over the area many times, and that this aircraft flew lower than usual. Other witnesses confirmed the flight into the storm and the lightning strikes.

Investigation and conclusion

Investigators of the Civil Aeronautics Board, the predecessor of the NTSB established in 1967, reached the crash site and found that the DC-3 was overthrown in a Lucerne field. The plants had a height of approximately 2.50 meters. The integrity of the plants, a crash angle of 20 ° to 40 ° could be determined. The orientation of the aircraft matched the course Washington - Pittsburgh. The aircraft broke up on impact. Wreckage were still found at a distance of 300 meters.

Investigators found no evidence of material error, engine failure, fire or sabotage. The only clues were the testimonies concerning the lightning and the thunder storm. The Civil Aeronautic Board thus concluded that a lightning strike was the DC-3 hit and crashed.