1955 — March 20, American Airlines #711 airport approach crash, Springfield, MO — 13
–13 AirDisaster.com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 03201955.
–13 Aviation Safety Network. American Airlines Flight 711, 20 Mar 1955.
–13 CAB. AIR. American Airlines, Inc., Convair 250, N 94234, Near Springfield, Missouri…
–13 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashaes, 1924-1981.” AJFM&P, 3/1, Mar 1982, Table 1.
–13 NFPA. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires [1955].” Vol. 49, No. 4, April 1956, p. 395.
Narrative Information
Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Sunday 20 March 1955
“Time: 22:36
“Type: Convair CV-240-0
“Operator: American Airlines
“Registration: N94234
“MSN: 66
“First flight: 1948
“Total airframe hrs.: 13383
“….
“Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
“Passengers: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 32
“Total: Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 35
“Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
“Location: near Springfield Municipal Airport, MO
“Phase: Approach (APR)
“Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
“Departure airport: Chicago (unknown airport), IL
“Destination airport: Springfield Municipal Airport, MO
“Flight number: AA711
“Narrative: Struck ground 0.25 miles short while flying visually below low clouds.”
(Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. American Airlines Flight 711, 20 Mar 1955.)
Civil Aeronautics Board: “American Airlines Flight 711, a Convair 240, N 94234, crashed at 2236, 1 March 20, 1955. The accident occurred in an open field approximately 1-1/4 sales north-northwest of the Municipal Airport at Springfield, Missouri. Eleven of the 32 passengers, the first officer, and the stewardess were fatally injured. The other passengers, with one exception, and the captain were seriously injured. The aircraft received major damage by impact.
“Flight 711 of March 20 was a scheduled operation between Newark, New Jersey, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, with numerous intermediate stops. Among others the scheduled stops included Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri. The flight originated on schedule at 1245, made three stops, and landed at Chicago at 1843. It was 23 minutes late because of Chicago traffic delay. In all other respects the flight was normal and routine….
“At 2234 the flight reported, American 711… proceeding to the field. Approximately two minutes later an explosion was seen and heard north-northwest of the airport and attempts to contact the flight thereafter failed…..
“Investigation conducted at the scene of the accident disclosed the aircraft cleared several trees bordering the northeast corner of an open field. The top of one was 27 feet higher than the point of the Initial ground impact. This was about 200 feet beyond the trees which indicates that the aircraft, at a normal approach speed, was descending about 1,600 feet per minute. Impact was in an open, muddy, cultivated field at an altitude of 1,250 feet m. s. l. while the aircraft was heading 220 degrees magnetic. At impact the nose of the aircraft was depressed at a shallow angle and the right wing was slightly down. Gouges in the soft earth were made by the right wing, both engine nacelles, and the bottom of the fuselage. The wreckage path was along the impact heading for 1,100 feet and was strewn with various pieces of the aircraft as they separated from it. The major portion of the aircraft stopped in an upright position on a heading of 240 degrees. It was determined that the landing gear was fully retracted and the flaps were extended about 19 degrees.
“Impact forces were severe and high vertical and fore and aft forces were developed during the initial ground contact. These forces broke the nose section from the fuselage and crushed the lower structure upward to the floor support beams. Vertical compression buckling was induced in areas which did not contact the ground and deflected the sides of the fuselage outward. The right wing was separated and destroyed by the impact and an explosion which occurred in the fuel tank area. The left wing was torn off and came to rest relatively intact in an inverted position several yards ahead of the main wreckage. The passenger seats, with the exception of the last row, were torn free and thrown forward. Examination of this wreckage, although severely damaged, disclosed no evidence of fatigue cracking, structural failure, or malfunctioning controls prior to impact….
“A passenger seated on the right in the front aisle seat was able to see into the dimly lighted pilot compartment but was unable to see enough of the pilots to determine who was holding the controls. He stated that an instant before the crash he heard one of them cry out in an excited, loud, and warning voice, My God, we are going to hit the ground. Instantly, there was a roar of power and the impact followed almost simultaneously. Several others heard the increase of power. These witnesses were not an accord as to whether the turn to the airport was made while the aircraft was in the clouds or after it descended below them….
“It will be recalled a passenger heard one of the pilots cry out just before impact, My God, we are going to hit the ground. This, and other evidence, indicates the crew was not aware the aircraft was so low and that it was descending. It as probable that at this time the pilots were devoting their attention outside the cockpit and possibly toward the distant airport lights while flying over flat, dark, and sparsely lighted terrain in somewhat restricted visibility. An important psychological factor enters into an approach under these conditions and has been credited a factor in other accidents or near accidents. 4 The effect of such conditions has given flit crews an erroneous impression of altitude and/or the illusion that the aircraft is flying horizontally with respect to a distant light or group of lights when in reality the nose attitude of the aircraft is up or down. Under such circumstances, as shown by previous incidents, the crews have not realized the situation and have not been warned by their physical senses of the danger. Other crews in similar situations have broken off trailing antennas or actually struck a ground object before realizing their positions….
“The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a descent to the ground while approaching the airport caused by the crews inattention to their flight instruments and a possible sensory illusion giving them an erroneous impression of the attitude of the aircraft.” (CAB. AIR. American Airlines, Inc., Convair 250, N 94234, Near Springfield, Missouri…)
National Fire Protection Association: “Mar. 20, near Springfield, MO.,
“American Airlines Convair crash during attempted landing (fuel tank exploded but general fine did not ensue…13 killed.”
Sources
AirDisaster.com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 03201955. Accessed at: http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=03201955®=N94234&airline=American+Airlines
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Accident Description. American Airlines Flight 711, 20 Mar 1955. Accessed 2-21-2009 at:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19550320-1
Eckert, William G. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 1982, Table 1.
National Fire Protection Association. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires [1955].” Vol. 49, No. 4, April 1956, pp. 393-395.