1935 — Oct 7, United Airlines airport approach crash, hill 15M W Cheyenne, WY –all 12
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 11-30-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–12 AP. “Plane Smashes into Hill near Cheyenne; 9 Passengers…” SLC Telegram, UT. 10-7-1935, 1.
–12 Bureau of Air Commerce (DOC). Report of the Accident Board, BAC. October 31, 1935.
Narrative Information
Bureau of Air Commerce: “On October 7, 1935 at approximately 2 19 a.m., at a point about 10 miles west northwest of the airport at Cheyenne, Wyoming, an airplane [NC13317]…while-being flown in scheduled interstate operation carrying passengers, mail and express, unexpectedly contacted the ground with resultant death to all-onboard[1] and the complete destruction of the aircraft….it was owned by the United Air Lines Transport Corporation and at the time of the accident was being operated on the Salt Lake City-Cheyenne division of that corporation’s transcontinental route.
“This flight, scheduled as Trip 4 of October 6th out of Oakland, Calif., was dispatched from Salt Lake City for Cheyenne at 12 07 a.m. on October 7, 1935… Normal radio contacts were made throughout the flight, the last one being a contact at 2:16 or 2:17 a.m. by Co-pilot Batty with Cheyenne, giving the airplanes position as Silver Crown, which is approximately 3 miles west of the point where the accident occurred. Cheyenne called the plane at 2:21 a.m. and received no reply, which establishes the time of the accident at between 2:17 and 2:21 a.m.
“Investigation disclosed that the airplane, while on the direct radio course to the Cheyenne airport and while flying in a normal, slightly descending path, had first collided with the ground just a few feet below the top of a small knoll tearing out both engines and engine nacelles. From here it had rebounded and continued through the air for a distance of 1120 feet, where it came to rest…. A careful study of the wreckage failed to disclose any evidence of mechanical failure prior to the accident…. That no landing was being attempted at this point is indicated by the fact that the landing gear was found to be in full retreated position, both engines were running at normal speed and neither landing flare had been used….
“All indications are that the pilot was flying on instruments at the time of the accident. A log book entry made by the co-pilot credited the pilot with one hour of instrument flying, which may or may not have been completed at the time this entry was made….
“Whether or not the pilot was flying entirely on instruments, the question still arises as to why he was flying so close to the ground at the point of first contact with the ground It is possible that the co-pilot in giving their position as Silver Crown could have done so having observed that the airplane was approaching Silver Crown. The pilot, hearing this over the interphones, might have taken this literally and started losing altitude factor or sooner than he should have from actual location. Another possibility is that the pilot misread his altimeter and as a consequence was actually flying at a much lower altitude than he believed. An additional 1,000 feet of altitude at the point of the accident would have placed the airplane in suitable position for a normal power glide to the airport for a landing.
“It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was an error on the part of the pilot in judging his altitude or his distance from the airport, or both.” (Bureau of Air Commerce (DOC). Report of the Accident Board, BAC. October 31, 1935.)
Newspaper
Oct 7, AP: “CHEYENNE, Wyo., Oct. 7 – Twelve persons – nine passengers and a crew of three – were crushed to death early today as an Oakland-to-New York United Airlines transport plane crashed on a knoll on the rolling plains a scant 15 miles west of here. The veteran pilot, H. A. (No Collision) Collison, apparently had started down from high altitudes in ideal weather with his twin-motored liner, preparatory to a scheduled stop here, when he struck the top of one hill, lost his propeller and plummeted against another hillside.
“The plane smashed into the ground about 2:15 a.m., mountain standard time. It was torn and twisted, but did not catch fire. After a regular stop at Salt Lake City just before midnight, the cross-country liner had reported its progress by radio and asked ground wind information just five minutes’ flying time west of Cheyenne.…
List of Dead
- A. Collison, Salt Lake City, pilot.
George Batty, Denver, copilot.
Miss Leona Mason, Salt Lake City, stewardess.
- H. Miner, Chicago, officer of a game board company.
Charles H. Matthews Jr., Pittsburgh banker.
Ray R. Bane Jr., Greeley, Colo., business man, formerly of Salt Lake City…
Vincent Butler, San Francisco attorney.
Miss Juliet Hillman, Pittsburgh, daughter of a socially prominent business man there.
Walter B. Crandall, Associated Oil company, San Francisco, en route to New York.[2]
Helen Warren, United Airlines stenographer of Chicago, riding as a passenger.
Mrs. Coralyn Catheart, president of the Portland, Ore., Business and Professional
Women’s club.
John F. Cushing, Evanston, Ill., president of the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock company
of Chicago.
Sources
Associated Press. “Plane Smashes into Hill near Cheyenne; 9 Passengers, Crew of 3 Die; Wreck Spread Half Mile.” Salt Lake City Telegram, UT. 10-7-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-30-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/salt-lake-city-telegram-oct-07-1935-p-1/
Bureau of Air Commerce. U.S. Department of Commerce. Report of the Accident Board. 10-31-1935. Accessed 11-30-2024 at: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/32967
[1] Listed are the names of the 3 crew members and 9 passengers.
[2] Notes on same page that “the ‘Waler B. Crandall’ who was a victim of the transport crash near Cheyenne early today was Robert H. Renebome, 28, said by Inspector George Curtis to be a fugitive from San Francisco police on bad check charges.” This is reflected as well in Bureau of Air Commerce report which notes the death of R. H. Renebome of Redwood City, Calif., and does not list Mr. Crandall.