1954 — Feb 26, Western Air Lines flight 34 crash in turbulent weather ~Wright, WY –all 9

–9 Aviation Safety Network. Western Air Lines crash 26 Feb 1954, 19.4 miles ENE Wright WY.
–9 CAB. AIR. Western Air Lines, Inc. – Near Wright, Wyoming, February 26, 1954. 1954, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network: “Narrative: Western Air Lines Flight 34 departed from Salt Lake City (SLC) at 08:50. The Convair proceeded IFR to Rapid City Regional Airport, SD (RAP). The flight reported as being over the Wright intersection at 10:25, at 17,000 feet, estimating Rapid City at 10:50. Weather conditions in the area probably included moderate to heavy icing and moderate to severe turbulence. The Convair suddenly entered a rapid descent and struck the ground at high speed.”

Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Investigation Report: “The Accident

“A Western Air Lines Convair 240, N 8407H, crashed in level open country near Wright, Wyoming, at approximately 1032 [Mountain Standard Time], February 26, 1954. The crew of three and all six passengers were killed, and the aircraft was demolished.

“History of the Flight

“Western Air Lines’ Flight 34 departed Los Angeles, California, on a scheduled flight to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with intermediate stops scheduled at Las Vegas, Nevada; Cedar City and Salt Lake City, Utah; Casper, Wyoming, and Rapid City, South Dakota. The flight was routine to Salt Lake City, where a relief crew consisting of Captain M. R. Cawley, First Officer R. E. Crowther and Stewardess Mary Grace Cregain took over the flight in accordance with company crew assignment schedules. Prior to departure from Salt Lake City the aircraft was refueled to a total of 1,000 gallons, which filled all tanks. Flight 34 departed from the Salt Lake City ramp at 0721, but returned a few minutes later because of a broken nose wheel steering cable. The cable was replaced and Flight 34 was off the ground at 0850. According to company records, at takeoff the gross weight was 36,990 pounds, 2,144 pounds less than the maximum allowable weight of 39,135 pounds; the load was properly distributed so that the center of gravity of the aircraft was within approved limits. There were six passengers. The flight plan filed with Air Route Traffic Control specified Instrument Flight Rules at 15,000 feet via Green 3 and Blue 76 Airways.

“Eastward from Salt Lake City the Casper weather went below company minimums and Flight 34 elected to overfly this scheduled stop. After being advised of this action by the company Casper radio, Air Route Traffic Control issued a new clearance for the flight to descend to and maintain 13,000 feet to the Rapid City range station via Blue 37 and Red 2 Airways. However, an altitude change to 17,000 feet was requested by the flight and this was authorized by ARTC. At 1010 N 8407H reported 17,000 over Casper, estimating the Wright intersection (122 miles west of Rapid City) at 1027. The Flight reported as being over the Wright intersection at 1025, at 17,000 feet, estimating Rapid City at 1059. The Casper company radio operator gave the flight the 0930 en route weather and the 1010 Rapid City Special #2 terminal weather. This, the last radio contact, was acknowledged by the flight at 1027. At 1041 the Rapid City radio operator attempted unsuccessfully to contact the flight to deliver a clearance for an instrument approach to Rapid City. Attempts continued until 1053 and at that time the Denver company dispatcher was advised that contact with the flight had been lost. At 1106 emergency procedures were initiated.

“Intermittent snows and restricted visibilities hampered intensive air search efforts. The wreckage was sighted by a Western Air Lines pilot the afternoon of February 28, and ground parties reached the scene that night. The aircraft had crashed in an isolated ranch area and all nine occupants had been killed.

“Investigation

“The time of the accident is established as being approximately 1032. The finding at the scene of one wrist watch, impact-stopped at 1032, plus the testimony of several persons, located from five to ten miles west of the crash, placing at approximately 1030 the time of an aircraft passing low eastbound substantiates this figure…

“Investigators canvassed the sparsely inhabited area approximately ten miles on each side of the airway and thirty miles back on the flight path for possible witnesses. Due to the heavy snow falling at the time of the accident, there were no eyewitnesses. Twelve persons were located who heard an aircraft overhead in the storm the morning of the accident. All of them are in accord that from the sound the aircraft was at a low altitude and much lower than aircraft usually pass over. Six persons, west of the crash point, place the time around 1030 with the aircraft heading east at allow altitude and the engines sounding loud but normal. No variation in heading or altitude was noted by a majority of these witnesses. However, two witnesses stated that the aircraft was heard twice in a short period of time and from different directions, as if it had circled.

“The scene of the accident is in Campbell County, 19 miles east-northeast of Wright, Wyoming. This location is two miles north of the centerline of Civil Airway Red-2, 102 miles west-southwest of the Rapid City LF (Low Frequency) range station. The relatively level, sagebrush covered terrain is at an elevation of 4,700 feet MSL (mean sea level)…. (pp. 1-2)

“Probable Cause

“The Board, after intensive study of all evidence, determines that the probable cause of this accident was a sudden emergency of undetermined origin under adverse weather conditions resulting in rapid descent and impact with the ground at high speed.” [p.8] (Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Western Air Lines, Inc. – Near Wright, Wyoming, February 26, 1954.)
Newspaper

Feb 28, AP: “(By The Associated Press) Wright, Wyo., Feb. 28 – Wreckage of the Western Air Lines Convair which crashed Friday with nine persons aboard was spotted today by a search plane near Wright, west of the Black Hills and in prairie country. There were no signs of life. The search plane that spotted the craft, hunted since Friday afternoon, was a WAL DC3. Its pilot radioed the report to Ellsworth Air Force Base at Rapid City, S.D., and a ground party was immediately organized to rush to the scene.

“The plane vanished after its pilot, Capt. M. Ray Cawley, 39, of Bountiful, Utah, reported Friday morning he was near Wright, 80 miles northeast of Casper. Cawley said he would attempt to land at Rapid City, S.D.

“….Crew members with Cawley were Robert E. Crowther, 35, Salt Lake City, the co-pilot, and Mary Creagan, 29, Salt Lake City, the stewardess. Also aboard the plane when it left Los Angeles en route for Minneapolis were Henry E. Martinez, Monrovia, Calif.; Mrs. Sophie Radjenovich, Buhl, Minn.; Vincent Anderson, Sturgis, S.D.; Myron G. Wegner, 27, Western Air Lines station manager at Cheyenne, Wyo., and Ata May Reierson, 21, and Jeanette H. Schultz, 19, all WAL [Western Air Lines] employes from Los Angeles….”

Sources

Associated Press. “Nine Feared Dead In Crash.” Lubbock Morning Avalanche, TX. 3-1-1954, p. 1. Accessed 5-1-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-morning-avalanche-mar-01-1954-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Western Air Lines crash 26 Feb 1954, 19.4 miles ENE of Wright, WY. Accessed 5-1-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19540226-1

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Western Air Lines, Inc. – Near Wright, Wyoming, February 26, 1954. Washington, DC: CAB File No. 1-0036), released 8-18-1954. Accessed 5-1-2023 at: file:///C:/Users/Wayne/Downloads/dot_33488_DS1.pdf