Pennsylvania Central Airlines Flight 105
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Central Airlines Flight 105 was a regularly scheduled commercial flight between New York City and Birmingham, Alabama which crashed in the pre-dawn hours of January 6, 1946 while landing at Birmingham Municipal Airport, resulting in three fatalities.
The accident is the only fatal recorded Part 121 (Air Carrier) accident at the airport.
with stops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and Knoxville, Tennessee
, crashed while attempting to make an instrument approach to Runway 18 at Birmingham Municipal Airport (now Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport) in Birmingham, Alabama
. The plane crashed into Village Creek at the south end of runway 18-36. The captain, first officer, and a check airman who occupied the cockpit jump seat perished in the crash; several passengers were injured, none fatally.
The regularly scheduled flight departed New York City’s LaGuardia Field
at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time on January 5. After battling abnormally high headwinds, the flight made routine stops in Pittsburgh and Knoxville. While in Knoxville, the captain was briefed on the latest weather in Birmingham and elected to continue the flight. The flight left Knoxville at 2:51 a.m. Eastern time. Considerable turbulence was experienced between Knoxville and Birmingham due to active thunderstorms throughout the South.
The flight, which was scheduled to arrive at 12:52 a.m. Central Time
, was cleared for a straight-in approach from the north by the Birmingham tower at 3:48 a.m.. At 3:51 a.m., Flight 105 notified the tower it was performing a normal arrival pattern landing rather than a straight-in approach. The last radio contact from the plane was received at 3:54 a.m.
Tower personnel observed the flight approach Runway 18 from the north in a shallow descent that visibly steepened near the approach end of the runway. The flight continued airborne just above the runway until the intersection of Runway 18 with the east-west runway (now removed) where it touched down with only 1,500 feet (457 m) of runway remaining. As it became obvious that the flight was going to continue off the runway, tower personnel notified rescuers who immediately responded to Runway 18.
After turning off the runway to the left and attempting a ground loop
, the aircraft continued into Village Creek. The right wheel dropped off the 12-foot (3.7-m)-high bank first, allowing the right wing to strike rocks on the bank. The DC-3 then spun to the right and struck the south bank of the 35-foot (10.7-m)-wide creek. Village Creek was swollen from the rain which had plagued the Southern United States
in the days of and before the accident, with widespread flooding and deaths due to tornado
es in neighboring Mississippi
the day of the accident. The plane came to rest nose-down with the passenger area suspended over the waters of the creek. Though the cockpit was crushed, the passenger cabin was largely undamaged and no fire resulted. Rescue personnel alerted by the tower immediately worked to evacuate passengers and rescue the three critically injured pilots in the cockpit.
Most of the passengers were from various cities in central Alabama, with one passenger each from New Orleans
, Louisiana
; Biloxi
, Mississippi; Atlanta
, Georgia; and Brentwood
, Pennsylvania
.
Miss Betty Proctor appeared at the top of the front page of the Birmingham News the day after the crash. The photo depicts the DC-3 nose down in Village Creek with extensive damage to the right wing. Media attention of the crash quickly faded with the only immediate follow-up coverage being a note that the investigation was continuing in the January 8 edition of the paper in conjunction with a lengthier article regarding an altercation that occurred at the crash site.
Significant media attention was given to an altercation between two photographers from the Birmingham News and three PCA employees who threatened the newspapermen in an attempt to prevent photographs from being taken of the crash scene. The newspaper criticized the Birmingham Police Department for not intervening and protecting the newspapermen during their efforts to report on the crash. PCA officials expressed regret over the incident and the Commissioner of Public Safety announced an investigation would be conducted into the officers’ conduct. One PCA mechanic was later arrested.
The CAB held public hearings in Birmingham on January 15 and 16, 1946. Finding arrived at by the CAB focused on the poor weather that the flight experienced over a long duration, marginal weather conditions at the time of landing in Birmingham, and the possibility of mental and physical fatigue due to the late evening/early morning time of the flight, continued adverse weather, and long length of the flight.
The first officer and check airman died the evening of the crash at Norwood Hospital in Birmingham; the captain shortly after. One passenger was paralyzed by his injuries. The flight attendant was hospitalized for shock and a possible chest injury but was widely praised for ensuring everyone was buckled just prior to landing and her efforts to administer first aid after the crash.
The accident is the only fatal recorded Part 121 (Air Carrier) accident at the airport.
History of flight
On Sunday, January 6, 1946, a Pennsylvania Central Airlines Douglas DC-3 (Registration NC21786), flying as Flight 105 originating in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with stops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, crashed while attempting to make an instrument approach to Runway 18 at Birmingham Municipal Airport (now Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport) in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. The plane crashed into Village Creek at the south end of runway 18-36. The captain, first officer, and a check airman who occupied the cockpit jump seat perished in the crash; several passengers were injured, none fatally.
The regularly scheduled flight departed New York City’s LaGuardia Field
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time on January 5. After battling abnormally high headwinds, the flight made routine stops in Pittsburgh and Knoxville. While in Knoxville, the captain was briefed on the latest weather in Birmingham and elected to continue the flight. The flight left Knoxville at 2:51 a.m. Eastern time. Considerable turbulence was experienced between Knoxville and Birmingham due to active thunderstorms throughout the South.
The flight, which was scheduled to arrive at 12:52 a.m. Central Time
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
, was cleared for a straight-in approach from the north by the Birmingham tower at 3:48 a.m.. At 3:51 a.m., Flight 105 notified the tower it was performing a normal arrival pattern landing rather than a straight-in approach. The last radio contact from the plane was received at 3:54 a.m.
Tower personnel observed the flight approach Runway 18 from the north in a shallow descent that visibly steepened near the approach end of the runway. The flight continued airborne just above the runway until the intersection of Runway 18 with the east-west runway (now removed) where it touched down with only 1,500 feet (457 m) of runway remaining. As it became obvious that the flight was going to continue off the runway, tower personnel notified rescuers who immediately responded to Runway 18.
After turning off the runway to the left and attempting a ground loop
Ground loop
Ground loop may refer to:* Ground loop , an unwanted electrical current that flows in a conductor connecting two points inadvertently having different potentials...
, the aircraft continued into Village Creek. The right wheel dropped off the 12-foot (3.7-m)-high bank first, allowing the right wing to strike rocks on the bank. The DC-3 then spun to the right and struck the south bank of the 35-foot (10.7-m)-wide creek. Village Creek was swollen from the rain which had plagued the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
in the days of and before the accident, with widespread flooding and deaths due to tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es in neighboring Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
the day of the accident. The plane came to rest nose-down with the passenger area suspended over the waters of the creek. Though the cockpit was crushed, the passenger cabin was largely undamaged and no fire resulted. Rescue personnel alerted by the tower immediately worked to evacuate passengers and rescue the three critically injured pilots in the cockpit.
Most of the passengers were from various cities in central Alabama, with one passenger each from New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
; Biloxi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
, Mississippi; Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia; and Brentwood
Brentwood, Pennsylvania
Brentwood is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 9,643 at the 2010 census.-Geography and climate:Brentwood is located at ....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Media
An article, photograph of the wrecked airplane, and photograph of flight attendantFlight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
Miss Betty Proctor appeared at the top of the front page of the Birmingham News the day after the crash. The photo depicts the DC-3 nose down in Village Creek with extensive damage to the right wing. Media attention of the crash quickly faded with the only immediate follow-up coverage being a note that the investigation was continuing in the January 8 edition of the paper in conjunction with a lengthier article regarding an altercation that occurred at the crash site.
Significant media attention was given to an altercation between two photographers from the Birmingham News and three PCA employees who threatened the newspapermen in an attempt to prevent photographs from being taken of the crash scene. The newspaper criticized the Birmingham Police Department for not intervening and protecting the newspapermen during their efforts to report on the crash. PCA officials expressed regret over the incident and the Commissioner of Public Safety announced an investigation would be conducted into the officers’ conduct. One PCA mechanic was later arrested.
Investigation
One official from PCA and two from the Civil Aeronautics Board office in Atlanta responded to the site to investigate the accident the same day as the crash. The CAB held public hearings in Birmingham on January 15 and 16, 1946.CAB findings
On June 17, 1946, the Civil Aeronautics Board found the probable cause to be "the action of the pilot in committing himself to a landing from an approach which was too high and too fast."The CAB held public hearings in Birmingham on January 15 and 16, 1946. Finding arrived at by the CAB focused on the poor weather that the flight experienced over a long duration, marginal weather conditions at the time of landing in Birmingham, and the possibility of mental and physical fatigue due to the late evening/early morning time of the flight, continued adverse weather, and long length of the flight.
Victims
The pilot, first officer, and a check airman who occupied the cockpit jump seat perished in the crash; several passengers were injured, none fatally.The first officer and check airman died the evening of the crash at Norwood Hospital in Birmingham; the captain shortly after. One passenger was paralyzed by his injuries. The flight attendant was hospitalized for shock and a possible chest injury but was widely praised for ensuring everyone was buckled just prior to landing and her efforts to administer first aid after the crash.