20th Century

— 42 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (126257 to 130264) 8-26-2011.
— 42 Gero. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, 61

Narrative Information

Baugher: “128441 c/n 1049B-4108. Disappeared in Atlantic off Ocean City, MD Oct 30, 1954. 42 missing.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine…BuNos Third Series (126257 to 130264) 8-26-2011.)

Gero:
“Date: 30/31 October 1954 (time unknown)
“Location: North Atlantic Ocean
“Operator: US Navy
“Aircraft type: Lockheed R7V-1 (128441)

“The four-engine transport had taken off from 1 Patuxent River Naval Air Station, in Maryland, US, bound for Kenitra (Port Lyautey), Morocco, with a planned stop in the Azores. Most of the 42 persons aboard were American service personnel, including 21 on and off-duty crew members, although the passengers also included seven civilian dependents, nearly all of them children. Proceeding in darkness and ‘intermittent’ instrument meteoro¬logical conditions, the aircraft was last heard from when at a position of approximately 300 miles (480km) east of Ocean City, Maryland. Within 90 minutes of that radio transmission, sent at 23:30 local time, a possibly sudden and catastrophic event of an unknown nature claimed 128441 and its occupants. A search by aircraft and ships, which began after the transport was reported overdue, went on for four days, but failed to find any survivors, bodies or wreckage.” (Gero 1999, 60-61)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (126257 to 130264) Aug 26, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries14.html

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

—>126  Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.

—  100  NCDC. Billion-Dollar U.S. Weather/Climate Disasters 1980-2013.

—  >61  NCDC. “Record Cold in the Central and Eastern U.S. during December 1989.”[1]

—  <60  Dec 16-22. Associated Press. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” 12-23-1989.

—    38  By Dec 19. Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” 12-19-1989.[2]

 

Alabama                     (  5)

–5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–1  Bellwood, Geneva Co., Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; male, 89, at home. Storm Data, 31/12, p.8.

–1  Birmingham, Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; male, 89, in his house. Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Dothan, Dec 22-25. Exposure to cold; male, 55. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Montgomery, Dec 16. Hypothermia; female, 72, outside. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Montgomery, Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; female, 89, in her apartment. Storm Data, 31/12, p8.

 

Arkansas                    (  4)

— 4  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 2  Crittenden County, Dec 23. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

— 1  Jefferson County, Dec 23. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

— 1  Locality not noted, Dec 3-9. Hypothermia; elderly man. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

 

Florida                        (>26)

—>26  Dec 23-25. Includes hypothermia and stove and space heater-related fire deaths.[3]

—>13  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 9.

—  3  Our number based on “several fatalities…on ice-covered roads in North Florida.”

—>6  Hypothermia. (“At least six people died of hypothermia…”)

—  4  Space heater related fires.

—   6  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

 

Georgia                      (  4)

–1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–3  Dec 17-19. Weather-related automobile accidents. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10.[4]

–1  I-85 near Atlanta, Dec 18. Traffic accident on icy road; Atlanta Falcons player.[5]

–1  Traffic accident on icy road, Dec 18, location not noted.[6]

–1  Greensboro, Greene Co., Dec 23. Hypothermia; elderly man outside. Storm Data, 31/12, p10

 

Illinois                         (25)

–25  State. Daily Herald, IL. “Illinois Briefs. Bitter cold blamed for 25 deaths.” 12-24-1989, p. 4.[7]

–19  Chicago area, Dec 12-24. Cold weather-related deaths. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10.[8]

—  1  Chicago, Dec 15-18. Exposure; male stuck in elevator shaft, apparent burglary attempt.[9]

 

Indiana                       (  2)

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  DeKalb County, Dec 17-18. Hypothermia; female found frozen to death in her car.[10]

— 1  Huntington County, Dec 17-18. Hypothermia; male; tried to walk 2 miles to his work.[11]

 

Louisiana                   (  5)

— 5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Clinton, Dec 23. Boy, 13, playing on ice, drowns in frigid water when ice on pond breaks.[12]

— 1  Slidell, Dec 25. Boy, 13, playing on ice, drowns in frigid water when ice on pond breaks.[13]

— 1  New Orleans, Dec 21. Exposure; male, 36. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

— 1  New Orleans, Dec 24. Exposure; female, 64. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

— 1  St. Francisville, Dec 12. Exposure; male, 90, in poorly heated home. Storm Data, 31/12, 11.

 

Michigan                    (  5)

— 5  Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.

— 4  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Detroit, Dec 20. Hypothermia; male, 59, found dead outside of his apartment.[14]

— 1  Detroit, Dec 20. Hypothermia; female, 86, found frozen to death on her driveway.[15]

— 1  Hillsdale, Detroit area, Dec 18. Hypothermia; male, 65, in his home. Storm Data, 31/12, 12.

— 1  Taylor, Dec 21. Hypothermia; male (age not noted), found frozen to death outdoors.[16]

— 1  Lower MI, Dec 25. Freezing drizzle and snow contributes to 70 road accidents; boy, 15.[17]

 

Minnesota                  (  1)

— 1  Strandquist area, Dec 14-15. Hypothermia; male. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 12.

 

Mississippi                  (  2)

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Meridian, Dec 24. Hypothermia; male, fell asleep on floor in front of space heater.[18]

— 1  Neshoba County, Dec 24. Exposure; male, looking for firewood outside his home.[19]

 

Missouri                     (  1)

— 1  St. Louis area, ~Dec 21. Hypothermia; female, 87, found dead at home on floor; no heat.[20]

 

Montana                     (  1)

— 1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Lewistown, Dec 15-16. Hypothermia; male left his car when it became stuck in snow.[21]

 

New York                   (14)

–14  Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.

—  1  Apalachin, Tioga County. Girl, 7, after foster mother poured water on her, put her outside.[22]

—  6  East Jewitt area, Catskill Mts., Dec 15. Plane crash in heavy snow storm — flew into mt.[23]

—  1  Eastern NY, Dec 15-16. Traffic accident blamed on icy roads and poor visibility; female.[24]

—  1  Eastern NY; Dec 15-16. Firefighter traffic accident on icy road.[25]

—  1  NYC subway station, before Dec 19. Man using hot-plate to keep warm sets himself on fire.[26]

—  4  NYC, Dec 15-17. Exposure; homeless people while sleeping in the city subway system.[27]

 

North Carolina          (  4)

— 4  Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Camden Co., Dec 22-23. Exposure; elderly man slipped outside of home, could not get up.[28]

— 1  Camden Co., Dec 22-23. Hypothermia; elderly man in his unheated home.[29]

— 1  Warsaw, Dec 25-27. Hypothermia; man found dead in his home on 27^th.[30]

— 1  Wilmington, Dec 22-24. Coastal snow storm; male dies of heart attack shoveling snow.[31]

 

Oklahoma                  (  5)

–5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–1  Ardmore, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male, 28, outside on a city street.[32]

–1  Goldsby vic., McClain Co. Hypothermia; male, 28, seeking to elude police in wooded area.[33]

–1  Oklahoma City, Dec 22. Hypothermia; male, 24, in his unheated home.[34]

–1  Oklahoma City, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male, 35, outside, after leaving his car.[35]

–1  Poteau, Leflore Co., Dec 8. Hypothermia; female, 44; had left car, gone into wooded area.[36]

 

Pennsylvania              (10)

—  10  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–>10  Eastern PA, during the month. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 17.

–7  Philadelphia, “…a number of them were homeless people on the street.” Storm Data.[37]

 

South Carolina          (11)

–11  Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.

—  9  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

—  1  Alcolu, Clarendon Co., Dec 25. Exposure; male found dead outside near a mobile home.[38]

—  1  Blacksburg, Cherokee County, Dec 25. Hypothermia; male, 65, in his unheated home.[39]

—  1  Carlisle, Union County, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male found dead in unheated home.[40]

—  1  Charleston, Charleston County, Dec 26. Male, found dead in an abandoned cab.[41]

—  1  Dorchester Co. Hwy 178, Dec 22-26. Traffic accident, man, on road with “heavy sheet of ice.”[42]

—  1  Greenville, Greenville County, 23^rd. Hypothermia; male found dead in an unheated home.[43]

—  1  Greenville, Greenville Co., Dec 23. Exposure; female, found dead two blocks from home.[44]

—  1  North Charleston, Dec 23. Exposure; male found unconscious, lying in snow; died later.[45]

—  1  North Charleston, Dec 26. Male found dead in an abandoned mobile home.[46]

—  1  Pageland, Chesterfield County, Dec 23. Male found dead in the yard of a house.[47]

—  1  Roebuck, Spartanburg County, Dec 9. Exposure; male found dead in backyard of home.[48]

 

Tennessee                   (  1)

— 1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Etowah, McMinn County, Dec 25. Elderly woman wandered away from her home.[49]

 

Texas                          (~6)

—  1  Austin, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; male, outside in a field near Austin.[50]

—  1  Austin, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; female in unheated room where heater had gone out.[51]

—  1  San Antonio, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; male found dead in unheated vacant house.

–~3  “Several” deaths from weather-related fires, locations not noted. Storm Data, 31/12, p. 19.[52]

 

Narrative Information

 

NCDC Storm Data: “A large portion of the eastern two-thirds of the United States experienced one of its coldest Decembers of record in 1989. The cold was notable for both its prolonged duration and its bitterness, as temperatures were well below normal for about half of the month in most areas and many new low temperature records were set. The most substantial cold period was from abut the 14^th to the 25^th of the month, with the coldest air settling in over the area at the end of the period, from the 22^nd to the 25^th when numerous existing records were broken.

 

“Although the coldest temperatures were in the North-Central U.S., it was in the South that the cold had its greatest impact. Where normally temperatures only go below freezing for a few hours at a time during the winter, they this time stayed at below freezing for several days. This resulted in heavy losses for citrus and other large cash crop industries of the South. Also, the unprepared nature of many Southerners for extended periods of cold most likely contributed to the higher death tolls in that region… In all, at least 61 people died due to the cold in December 1989, most as a result of hypothermia brought on by overexposure…..” (NCDC, Storm Data, Vol. 31, No. 12, Dec 1989, p. 7.)

Florida

 

FL Dept. of Health: “From December 22-26, 1989, Florida experienced one of the most severe cold waves in its history with record-breaking temperatures, snow, ice, sleet, and hard freezes. Claiming at least 26 lives, power and transportation were shut down over much of Florida, with heavy losses in the agricultural industry.” (Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Cold b-b-b-rings Deep South snow.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, 12-18-1989, p. A-2. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/ohio/elyria/elyria-chronicle-telegram/1989/12-18/page-2?tag

 

Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/walla-walla/walla-walla-union-bulletin/1989/12-19/page-12?tag

 

Associated Press. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA, 12-23-1989, p. A4. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/california/santa-ana/santa-ana-orange-county-register/1989/12-23/page-7?tag

 

Associated Press. “Record cold grips Missouri.” The Examiner, Independence, MO, 12-22-1989, p. 1. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/missouri/independence/independence-examiner/1989/12-22?tag

 

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL. “Illinois Briefs. Bitter cold blamed for 25 deaths.” 12-24-1989, p. 4. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/illinois/arlington-heights/daily-herald-suburban-chicago/1989/12-24/page-317?tag

 

Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/climate-and-health/_documents/extreme-cold-factsheet.pdf

 

National Climatic Data Center. Billion-Dollar U.S. Weather/Climate Disasters 1980-2013. “1989. Winter Damage, Cold Wave, Frost.” Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-29-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events.pdf

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 31, No. 12, Dec 1989. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-0435ED3A-B7DC-4990-AAA1-16E2CBAF8EA6.pdf

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aviation Accident & Synopsis Query Page. “NTSB Identification: NYC90FA039. Washington, DC: NTSB, approval date 7-22-1992. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X30004&key=1

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Wilmington, NC. “Christmas Coastal Snowstorm: December 22-24, 1989.” 12-7-2014; updated 12-10-2014. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/ilm/ChristmasSnow1989

 

[1] NCDC, Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[2] “The cold has been blamed for seven traffic deaths and 31 other fatalities since Friday [Dec 15].”

[3] Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov.

[4] “3” is our number based on “Several lives were lost and injuries occurred in weather-related automobile mishaps.”

[5] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[6] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[7] Notes “Temperatures plunged as low as 24 degrees below zero in western Illinois. Record lows Saturday [23^rd] were 24 below zero just after dawn in Moline, 22 below in Peoria and 21 below in Springfield. St. Louis logged a new record low of 15 below zero, which equaled one of the 10 lowest temperature readings recorded in the city.”

[8] “…cold was directly or indirectly blamed for 19 weather-related deaths in the Chicago area’s Cook County alone.”

[9] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[10] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10

[11] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10

[12] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

[13] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

[14] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[15] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12. We suspect however, that the date is mistaken and that this is the same death reported by the AP on Dec 19, of  “an 86-year-old found dead, apparently of exposure, in the driveway of her Birmingham, Mich., home [Birmingham is a Detroit suburb].” (Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13.)

[16] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[17] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[18] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 13. Notes that the man froze to death and that he might have lived had he slept on his sofa in that the warm air from the heater rose to the ceiling.

[19] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 13.

[20] Associated Press. “Record cold grips Missouri.” The Examiner, Independence, MO, 12-22-1989, p. 1. Victim identified as Marion H. Counts.

[21] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 13. “The man was lightly dressed and was found within 100 yards of his car.”

[22] AP. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13. Notes the temp. dropped to 5° that night, that the girl was being punished, and that the foster mother was charged with murder.

[23] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14, noting 6-11 inches of snow accumulated. NTSB notes that the pilot was informed of marginal visual flight and that instrument flight rules would prevail along the route of flight. “The airplane hit a 3,400 foot mountain at an elevation of 2,500 feet. The airplane was missing 4 days and was found by the crew of a NY State Police helicopter.” The NTSB has the location as Cairo Township and the aircraft as a Piper PA-31-350, registration N45CH. The NTSB also notes there were six fatalities.

[24] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14,

[25] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14, Notes the firefighter was responding to a traffic accident.

[26] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[27] AP. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register, CA, 12-23-1989, A4. “In [NYC], where arctic chill sent 9,200 people to shelters Thursday night, demonstrators erected four tombstones outside City Hall in memory of four homeless…who died of exposure while sleeping in the city subway system during the weekend.”

[28] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15. Notes he had gone outside to get kerosene. Fell into a snowbank.

[29] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15.

[30] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15.

[31] NWS WFO, Wilmington, NC. “Christmas Coastal Snowstorm: December 22-24, 1989.” 12-7-2014.

[32] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[33] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[34] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[35] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16. According to an AP article his car apparently ran out of gas a half-mile from home. (AP. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register,  CA, 12-23-1989, p. A4.)

[36] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[37] A Monday Dec 18 AP article notes “In Philadelphia, teams of outreach workers scoured streets through the weekend as temperatures dipped to 17 degrees. An unidentified transient woman was found dead on a downtown bench Saturday, a victim, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office, of exposure.” (Associated Press. “Cold b-b-b-rings Deep South snow.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, 12-18-1989, p. A-2.)

[38] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 17.

[39] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18. Notes the heating unit in his home failed.

[40] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[41] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[42] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[43] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[44] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[45] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[46] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[47] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[48] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[49] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18. Notes death was “due to exposure to the bitter cold.”

[50] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 19.

[51] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 19.

[52] We make assumption that “several” must be at least three.

–11 Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.
–11 UPI. “11 Killed; 100 Injured as Tornadoes Hit Region.” Kingsport News, TN. 4-29-1971, p. 1.
–10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.
–10 Blanchard tally of named fatalities (nine in KY and one in IL).

Illinois ( 1)
— 1 AP. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7.
–1 Thompsonville. Female, 71. Mt. Vernon Register-News. “Tornado…” 4-28-1971, p1.
— 1 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.

Illinois and Kentucky: (10)
–10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.

Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee: (11)
–11 Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.

Kentucky: ( 9)
–10 AP. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central [KY]…Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, 1.
–5-6 Adair County
–2 Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Smith, 60s, at their home 2½ miles from Columbia.
–2 Mrs. Roby McCarol, 27 and daughter Ruth Ann McCarol, 7, near Columbia.
–1 Mrs. Anna Cundiff, 70, near Columbia.
–2-3 Butler-Warren County area. (The AP article names one fatality.)
–1 Mrs. Love Cockerell, near Morgantown.
— 1 Died at Louisville General Hospital
— 2 Russell County
–2 Mr. and Mrs. Bulan Swanson, Salem home destroyed.
— 1 South Hill, Wendell T. Peay, 50, flung into a tree when he exited his truck.
— 9 Blanchard tally of named fatalities.
— 9 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.
–1 Muhlenberg/Butler/Warren counties, 19:20 F3 tornado.
–6 Green/Adair counties, 20:20 F4 tornado; Mount Pleasant Church area.
–2 Russell/Pulaski counties, 21:53 F4 tornado; Gosser Ridge farm.
— 9 National Weather Service, Louisville, KY Weather Forecast Office
— 9 UPI. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State…” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, 1.
— 8 Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971.
–6 Mount Pleasant Church vicinity, Adair County
–2 Gosser Ridge community, Russell County

Narrative Information

EDS Storm Data: “Hopkins, McLean & Ohio Counties…27 [Apr]…5:45 p.m. …347 [length of path, miles]…? [killed]…Tornado, wind, hail.

“State police reported that a tornado destroyed 2 barns in the vicinity of Slaughters, northern Hopkins County; reported trees down in the area of Sacramento, McLean County, about 12 miles to the east-southeast; a news report quoted a witness 2 miles west of Sacramento as having seen a funnel cloud passing high in the sky. There was considerable hail damage at Sacramento, where car windows and the windows of a church were broken. At 6:26 p.m. C.S.T., a radar report indicated a strong thunderstorm in this area, a rotating cell with a top at 53,000 feet and moving toward the east-southeast at 45 m.p.h. Damage at Prentiss, Ohio County, and east-southeast of Sacramento may have been a third touchdown of the funnel (touchdown time not available). A funnel was observed to touch down at Prentiss, damaging a home. A barn was demolished on an adjacent farm.” (April 1971, p. 45).
….
“Green and Adair Counties…27 [Apr]…8:30 p.m. 15 [length of path in miles]…17-200 [width of path in yards]…6 [killed]…58 [injured]…Tornado, wind, hail.

“The funnel, travelling toward the east-southeast, apparently touched down for the first time in the Bramlett area on the southeastern border of Green County about 8:30 p.m. C.S.T. There were no injuries. One home and one mobile home were destroyed. The storm then moved to about 3½ miles north of Columbia, Adair County, staying on the ground a good part of the time. In the vicinity of Mount Pleasant Church on the Holmes Bend Road (Highway 551) 6 persons died as the tornado demolished a number of homes at about 8:35 p.m. C.S.T. The storm continued its eastward movement, occasionally lifting and then touching down again, touching down at Vester and then at Christine at 8:40 p.m. C.S.T., injuring some persons and destroying a number of buildings. Reports indicated path width varying from 50 to 600 feet. A witness just west of Vester stated that he saw the funnel pass directly over his house, that thee lower tip of the funnel was several feet in width at that location, then dip down about 200 feet to the east to strike a neighbor’s home; several of the occupants were seriously injured and the home was lifted across the road and demolished. People along the path of the storm stated that hailstones varied in size from goose egg to baseball. Officials stated that in Adair County 6 persons were killed, that 15 persons were hospitalized, that 43 persons suffered minor injuries. Dollar value property damage was no available but preliminary surveys indicated: 50 houses destroyed; 50 houses with major damage; 3 mobile homes destroyed; 3 churches destroyed; 33 barns destroyed; 100 other buildings destroyed. Additionally many utility lines and trees were downed.

“Kentucky (continued). Russell and Pulaski Counties…27 [Apr]…9:53 p.m. …14 [length of path in miles]…100+ [injured]…2 [killed]…72 [injured]…Tornado.

“The initial touchdown apparently occurred just east of the Adair-Russell counties border before 9:53 p.m. C.S.T, An aerial photograph indicated the path width here as about 70 yards. This location is about 2 miles north of Russell Springs, Russell County, on Highway 127. The funnel apparently moved east-southeastward from this point on, dipping down occasionally and then lifting. East of the first touchdown spot other damage indicated a touchdown on Highway 80 about 3 miles east of Russell Springs. This was near a roadside park where two distinct paths a quarter-mile apart were visible from an aircraft. The path farthest east contained more severe damage that the path closer to Russel Springs. The funnel then moved eastward, dipped down to damage several houses on Highway 910 as it approached Salem School. A number of persons were injured in the Salem School area as a number of houses were destroyed, and the school suffered severe damage (preliminary estimate, $150,000). At this point an aerial photograph indicated a path width of about 300 yards. The funnel then stayed on the same eastward path as it moved through the nearby Gosser Ridge community where two persons died as their home and most of the buildings on their farm were destroyed. There were additional homes destroyed and additional injuries. Officials stated that the casualties in Russel County consisted of the two fatalities and about 70 persons injured. Dollar damage figures were not available but officials indicated the following property damage estimates for Russell County: 35 hours destroyed;; major damage to 105 homes; 3 mobile homes destroyed; 60 barns destroyed; 79 other buildings destroyed. Additionally many utility lines and trees were downed. A news report stated that alone one part of the tornado path in Russell County chickens were stripped of their feathers, but left alive. The funnel apparently continued eastward into Pulaski County, wherein the Faubush community two persons were injured, several buildings were damaged or destroyed, and one mobile home was destroyed.” (Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971.)

Ferrara: “11 die in U.S. tornadoes. At least five tornadoes lashed through Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee April 27-28, leaving 11 persons known dead and more than 100 others injured. The heaviest damage was inflicted in Kentucky, where three tornadoes killed 10 people. Butler’s Creek, three miles north of Columbus, Ky., reported six casualties and at least 40 injured.” (Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.)

Grazulis: “IL APR 27, 1971 1543 lk 20inj 200y 5m F3. FRANKLIN—Moved E from 4m W of Thompsonville to town. Eight homes were destroyed. Three commercial buildings and five trailers were also destroyed. Three businesses, 17 homes, and three trailers had major damage. An elderly woman was killed in a frame home….

KY APR 27, 1971 1920 lk 20inj 150y 30m F3. MUHLENBERG, BUTLER, WARREN — Skipped ESE from 4m E of Drakesville, to near Ennis, South Hill, and Riverside. A six-room, brick veneer home was completely destroyed, as were several large trailers. There were two injuries in one, and a death in another. Many homes sustained damage….

“KY Apr 27, 1971, 2030, 6k, 58inj., 100y, 15m, F4, Green/Adair – Moved ESE from Bramlett, passing 3m NE of Columbia, to Vester and Christine. Six people were killed when the tornado demolished a number of homes in the Mount Pleasant Church area on Hwy-551. A total of 51 homes, 33 barns, three churches, four trailers and 100 other buildings were destroyed, and 50 more had major damage.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.)

“KY APR 27, 1971 2153 2k 72inj 200y 14m F4 RUSSELL/PULASKI—Moved E from east of Russell Springs, to Salem, and to Faubush. At Gosser Ridge, two people were killed on a farm as most of the buildings were swept away. Along the path, 35 homes, four trailers, 60 barns, and 79 other buildings were destroyed. There was major damage to 105 more homes. The Salem School was damaged. At one point, there were two distinct paths, as two funnels moved parallel to one another.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.)

National Weather Service: “On this day, 6 twisters moved across southern Indiana and central Kentucky, killing 9. Six of those lives were taken as an F4 ripped through the vicinity of Mt. Pleasant Church, a few miles northeast of Columbia in Adair County. 2 more lives were taken in Russell County, as another F4 tore a path of destruction through Gosser Ridge. An F3 tornado killed one person as it moved through Butler and Warren Counties. Along the nearly 30 mile path, a six-room brick house was destroyed, along with several large trailers.” (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “23. April ’71 Outbreak April 27, 1971.” Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update.)

Newspaper

Apr 28, KY: “Columbia, Ky. (AP) – Ten persons were killed and more than 75 were injured when hit-and-run tornadoes ravaged a wide area of south-central Kentucky late Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported. State Police said damage would run into millions of dollars…. ‘It looks as if there are eight to 10 fatalities and this is a conservative estimate,’ a [KY governor] spokesman said. One death as a result of the tornadoes was reported at Louisville General Hospital. Five persons were reported dead in Adair County. Six persons were reported dead in Adair County. Two were killed in Russell County and ‘two or three’ fatalities were reported in the Butler-Warren County area about 80 miles west of here, the Weather Service said.

“A 75-bed emergency aid station was being set up at Adair County High School here.

“State Police said at least 25 persons were injured in Russell County, adjacent to Adair on the southeast. William L. Walker, civil defense director in Adair County, said about 40 injuries were reported in his area.

“The hospital at Somerset, to the east, said 32 persons were treated and 10 were admitted. At Bowling Green, between the damaged areas, the hospital was put on disaster status and at least 18 persons were admitted. ‘I was there when the bodies were picked up,’ said Walker in Columbia. ‘One body was blown 300 feet from a house. It was a woman. ‘Another body, a woman, was blown about 100 feet away and there was a child blown from a house at another place.’

“Walker said he heard the volunteer fire department siren about 10 p.m. EDT and with other volunteers answered it. Hail and heavy rain were falling at the time, he said.

“Just outside Columbia, the Mount Pleasant Christian Church was swept from its foundation atop a hill. Eight or 10 houses were destroyed and others were heavily damaged in Columbia, he said.

“In Russell Springs, 13 miles east of Columbia, the lights went out about midnight, amid high winds and a thunder and lightning storm, said Mrs. Andrew Norfleet, wife of a weekly newspaper publisher.

“At Greensburg, 20 miles northwest of Columbia, the tornadoes have ‘done more damage than I’ve ever seen,’ said Cary Eaton, the Green County Civil Defense director. He said the twister wiped out houses and barns, but said he knew of no fatalities there.

“In the Russell County community of Salem, he said, two persons were literally blown from their houses. ‘It was definitely a twister,’ he said. ‘It would hit one house, then skip a house or garage, then move on to another. One trailer was blown abut a quarter mile and landed on the same side of the highway where it had been parked before,’ he said. Eaton said one mobile home at Salem ‘just disappeared.’ Eaton said the houses ‘seemed more like they had been hit by an explosion. Windows were blown out. Doors were blown off. ‘It was just like a huge vacuum cleaner sucking up everything in sight. ‘In Russell County, for example, some chickens even lost their feathers – and they were still alive.’ Eaton said automobiles would up in trees in Adair and Russell counties, ‘hanging there like Christmas ornaments. And we even found some Christmas ornaments in trees,’ he said.

“Larry Van Hoose, the governor’s press secretary, said in the South Hill-Riverside area northwest of Bowling Green, ‘there is an area 6 miles long and 1½ miles wide of destruction. Everything. The trees are gone.’ The worst area, Van Hoose said, was three miles north of Columbia at the junction of Kentucky routes 55 and 551. Over a stretch of 10 to 12 miles, he said, five were known dead and 25 to 30 persons were injured….In Somerset, up to four feet of water was reported from the rain that accompanied the twisters.

“The National Weather Service said there apparently were three separate tornadoes, operating in three separate areas. The first touched down near South Hill, northwest of Bowling Green, about 10 p.m. EDT, then skipped on to Riverside and Reedyville. ‘Two or three fatalities, numerous injuries and extensive property damage’ was reported there, the Weather Service said.

“The second hit Adair and Casey counties. It first struck at Cane Valley and ‘apparently remained on the ground for a considerable time as it moved eastward to near Pellyton on the Casey-Adair line,’ the Weather Service said. Numerous injuries and five fatalities were attributed to this tornado. Civil Defense officials asked for 75 cots to set up the emergency aid station at Adair County High School. Massive property damage was reported.

“The third area was near Salem in northern Russell County.

“Before the tornadoes hit, there had been reports from areas of Central Kentucky that hail ranging p to golf ball size was falling. There had been numerous reports of uprooted trees and minor wind damage before the twisters started….

“Officials listed these victims:
–Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Smith, in their late 60s, killed when their home 2½ miles from
Columbia was blown away.
–Mr. and Mrs. Bulan Swanson, killed when the tornado destroyed their home at Salem.
–Wendell T. Peay, 50, killed at South Hill. State Police said he was smashed against a tree
when he got out of his truck during the storm. Officers said his wife suffered a broken
neck when she tried to help him.
–Douglas Frodge, 7, of near Columbia.
–Ruth Ann McCarol, 7, of near Columbia.
–Mrs. Roby McCarol, 27, the McCarol girl’s mother. Her husband and son were
hospitalized in Louisville.
–Mrs. Anna Cundiff, 70, of near Columbia.
–Mrs. Love Cockerell of near Morgantown.”

(Associated Press. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central Kentucky Raked by Killer Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, p. 1.)

Apr 28, IL: “Thompsonville, Ill. (AP) – A tornado has swept the Southern Illinois farming community of Thompsonville, leaving one person dead, at least 20 injured and most of the town’s 400 residents.” (Associated Press. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7.)

Apr 29, KY: “Russell Springs, KY. (UPI)….Nine…Kentuckians…were left dead in the woke of the twisters which thundered across a five-county rural area and caused millions of dollars damage. The toll was revised downward because one woman, first reported as dying from the tornadoes, later was listed as a victim of natural causes….” (United Press International. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sterling-daily-gazette-apr-28-1971-p-7/

Associated Press. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central Kentucky Raked by Killer Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/harlan-daily-enterprise-apr-28-1971-p-1/

Edwardsville Intelligencer, IL. “Thompsonville.” 4-29-1971, p. 7. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/edwardsville-intelligencer-apr-29-1971-p-7/

Environmental Data Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-B4E5204C-595E-4413-99B2-48A48AADFE4A.pdf

Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979.

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Mt. Vernon Register-News, IL “Tornado Rips Thompsonville” 4-28-1971, p1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mount-vernon-register-news-apr-28-1971-p-1/

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update accessed at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=top_20_weather_events

United Press International. “11 Killed; 100 Injured as Tornadoes Hit Region.” Kingsport News, TN. 4-29-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kingsport-news-apr-29-1971-p-1/

United Press International. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/middlesboro-daily-news-apr-29-1971-p-1/

–109 ASN. Accident description Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.
–109 Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.
–109 City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010
–109 Gero. Aviation Disasters…World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950. 1996, p. 96.
–109 Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1).
–109 Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 modification.
–108 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
–108 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash…Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.

U.S.
— 24 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-’70
— 23 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
— 23 Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation:
“Time: 08:09….
“Registration: CF-TIW
“C/n / msn: 46114/526
“First flight: 1970
“Total airframe hrs: 453….
“Crew: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
“Passengers: Fatalities: 100 / Occupants: 100
“Total: Fatalities: 109 / Occupants: 109….
“Location: 11 km (6.9 mls) N of Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ) Canada
“Phase: Landing….
“Departure airport: Montreal-Dorval International Airport…
“Destination airport: Toronto International Airport…
“Flight number: 621

“Narrative: Air Canada flight 621 was a routine early morning flight originating from Montreal-Dorval International Airport, QC (YUL), with destination Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ). The DC-8-63 plane, a relatively new airplane which had been delivered just over two months ago, departed at 07:17 for a flight which was to take just over 50 minutes. The captain was pilot flying. The enroute and descent portion of the flight were uneventful.

“At a distance of 8 miles from Toronto Airport, about 08:02, the ‘Before-Landing Check’ was made. This included the lowering of the undercarriage and according to Air Canada procedures should include arming the spoilers. This item however was intentionally omitted. On previous flights were the captain and first officer had flown together they had disagreed on when to arm the spoilers. Both men did not like to arm the spoilers at the beginning of the final approach, fearing that this increased the chance of inadvertent spoiler activation. The captain preferred to arm the spoilers on the flare, while the first officer preferred to arm and extend them on the ground. Although both procedures where contrary to company policy, it was agreed between them that when the captain was flying the aircraft, the first officer-would cause the spoilers to be extended on the ground, and when the first officer was flying the captain would arm the spoilers on the flare.

“However on this particular occasion, the captain and first officer had a discussion about when the spoilers should be armed. The captain finally ordered: “All right, give them to me on the flare”, which was contrary to their personal agreement on previous flights. Power was reduced then on the aircraft for the purpose of the flare and the captain gave the order to the first officer by saying “O.K.”; and immediately thereafter the ground spoilers were deployed.

“The aircraft was about 60 feet above runway 32 at that time and began to sink rapidly. The captain immediately noticed what had happened, applied full throttle to all four engines and pulled back the control column. The nose came up as the aircraft continued to sink. Realizing what he had done, the first officer apologized to the captain. The plane than struck the runway heavily, causing the number 4 engine and pylon to separate from the wing. It fell on the runway along with a piece of the lower wing plating, allowing fuel to escape and subsequently ignite.

“The DC-8 rose back into the air, at which time the ground spoilers retracted, and climbed to an altitude of 3100 feet. During this climb, fire and smoke were seen trailing behind the aircraft intermittently. The crew wanted to circle for an emergency landing on runway 32. This was not possible because of debris on the runway, so the controller suggested a landing on runway 23. About two and a half minutes after the initial touchdown an explosion occurred in the right wing outboard of the number 4 engine location causing parts of the outer wing structure to fall free to the ground. Six seconds later, a second explosion occurred in the vicinity of number 3 engine and the engine with its pylon ripped free of the wing and fell to the ground in flames. Six and one half seconds later, a third explosion occurred which caused the loss of a large section of the right wing, including the wing tip. The airplane then went into a violent maneuver, lost height rapidly and at the same time more wing plating tore free following which the DC-8 struck the ground at a high velocity, about 220 knots in a left wing high and nose low attitude.

“PROBABLE CAUSE: The Canadian investigation report did not conform to ICAO standards and did not contain a probable cause as such.

“Follow-up / safety actions: As a result of this accident, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive AD 70-25-02 cautioning pilots against in-flight operation of ground spoilers by requiring the installation of a warning placard in the cockpit and the insertion of an additional Operating Limitation in the Flight Manual.

“On June 23, 1973, a Loftleidir DC-8-61 (N8960T) made a short, hard landing, after the first officer had inadvertently activated the ground spoilers during the final phase of the landing approach. The aircraft was damaged extensively when it hit the runway, and injured 38 persons. Therefore the NTSB issued safety recommendations A-73-111 and -112 on December 9, 1973. These recommended the FAA to 1) Require that a protective device be installed as a part of the activating lever mechanism of the ground spoiler system in DC-8 aircraft; and 2) Amend 14 CFR 25 (Airworthiness Standards) to require that ground deceleration devices which directly affect the lift generated by the wings be designed so that they cannot be inadvertently operated in flight.

“Responding to recommendation A-73-111, the FAA issued another Airworthiness Directive (AD 74-04-02), a.o. regarding the installation of a spoiler handle lockout.

Regarding A-73-112, the FAA believed that FAR 25.671, 25.685, 25.697 and especially FAR 25.697(b) and 21.21(b) (2), as presently written, are adequate to ensure airworthy designs.

“The NTSB closed the recommendation May 1974, filing it as “closed — unacceptable action”.” (Accident description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.)

Newspaper

July 6: “Toronto (AP) — More than 20 Americans were among 108 persons killed Sunday in the crash of a Canadian jetliner landing in Toronto. The Air Canada Super-DC8 crashed in a field about four miles north of Toronto International Airport after attempting to land for a stopover on a flight from Montreal to Los Angeles. All aboard were killed.

“Of 89 identified victims, 23 were from addresses in the United States. There were 75 paying passengers, most of them from Quebec and California; two infants; 22 vacationing Air Canada employes and a crew of nine….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Toronto (AP)…. The plane was en route from Montreal to Los Angeles, and more than 20 of the passengers were from Southern California….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “Airliner Crash Claims May Hit $20 Million.” 7-7-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Five Valley residents and a man on his way to live in North Hollywood were aboard the Los Angeles-bound Air Canada DC-8 which crashed in Toronto Sunday, killing all 108 persons on the plane.

“The jet crash, the second worst, in Canada’s history in terms of the number killed, claimed the lives of 24 Southern California residents. All but one of the other victims was from Canada.

“The five local residents who died in the air disaster were:

Mrs. Celia Sultan 27 and her sons Robert 2½ and Jerald 5 months, of…Woodland Hills;
Anthony Molino of…Northridge; and
Miss Jacqueline Dore or…Burbank.

“The sixth victim was Isdvad Simon, 34, a Hungarian refugee who was on his way to live with his brother Sandor of North Hollywood…..

“According to reports from Toronto International Airport, the plane developed a fire in one engine and was ordered to climb and jettison fuel when an engine fell off the aircraft and the plane crashed not far from the airport. One witness told authorities the aircraft, was nearly engulfed in flames as it went down in a field. The craft reportedly touched down on the runway, sprang back into the air and fell.

“The flight originated in Montreal and was to make a stop in Toronto before coming on to Los Angeles….” (Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.)

Brampton Guardian, 2010: “….There was not one whole body identified….

“The airliner was en route from Montreal to California, carrying many Americans returning after Fourth of July celebrations, as well as many Quebec residents….

“The airliner, travelling at 220 knots, hit the ground with a “tremendous blast” just 150 feet from the Burgsma farmhouse, shattering every door and window of the home while the family of 11 slept. “There was no fire,” Sytze Burgsma told reporters at the time. “Everything was silent except for a hissing sound coming out of that big hole.”….” (Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, N of Toronto, 5 Jul 1970. 10-30-2003 update. At: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19700705-0

Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/842288–lovely-idea

City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010. Accessed at: http://www.brampton.ca/en/City-Hall/Office-Mayor/building-better-brampton/Pages/Brampton-Remembers-AC621.aspx

Gero, David. Aviation Disasters: The World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950 (Second Edition). London: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996.

Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=62090084

Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1). Accessed at: http://www.socrata.com/ [Inoperable when checked 3-13-2022]

Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=54921793

Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=16318751

Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 mod. Accessed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_621

–18 AP. “Fiery Takeoff Crash at McChord Fatal to 18.” Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA. 5-24-1961.
–18 Aviation Safety Network. USAF Globemaster II crash after takeoff ~McChord AFB, WA.
–18 McClary. “U.S. Air Force C-124A Globemaster II crashes near McChord [AFB 5-24-1961].”

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network: “Wednesday 24 May 1961, 02:33
“Type: Douglas C-124A Globemaster II
“Operator: United States Air Force – USAF
“Registration: 51-0174
“MSN: 43508
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
“Passengers: Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 16
“Total: Fatalities: 18 / Occupants: 22
“Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
“Location: S of Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA…
“Phase: Initial climb (ICL)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Tacoma-McChord AFV, WA…
“Destination airport: Lawton Municipal Airport, OK

“Narrative: The C-124 transport plane was returning men who had participated in Exercise Lava Plains at Yakima, WA. It carried an additional truck, jeep and two trailers. The airplane crashed shortly after takeoff.”

McClary: “On May 24, 1961, a U.S. Air Force C-124A Globemaster II, carrying 22 servicemen, loses power immediately after taking off from McChord Air Force Base in Pierce County. The plane crashes into a remote stand of trees, two miles south of the runway, and bursts into flame, killing 18 persons and critically injuring four others. One of the survivors is Master Sergeant Llewellyn M. Chilson, U.S. Army, one of the most decorated soldiers of World War II….

“At 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 1961, Air Force C-124A, No. 51-0174, assigned to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), 63rd Troop Carrier Wing at Donaldson Air Force Base (AFB), Grenville, South Carolina, departed McChord AFB in Pierce County. The transport was en route to Lawton Municipal Airport, Lawton, Oklahoma, with 12 soldiers from Fort Sill, who had been taking part in Exercise Lava Plains at the Yakima Firing Center….

“One minute after takeoff, the Globemaster, at an altitude of about 500 feet, suddenly burst into flames, veered to the left and dropped into a stand of trees in the north end of Fort Lewis, two miles south of the end of the runway. The air traffic controller witnessed the crash and immediately notified the McChord Fire and Rescue Unit….

“By 10 a.m. Thursday morning, May 25, all of the passengers and crew aboard the Globemaster had been accounted for….an Air Force crash probe team arrived at the site to begin the preliminary investigation. The wreckage was contained within a relatively small area, approximately 75 by 250 feet. But the trees had shredded the aircraft into pieces, the largest recognizable piece being the broken tail section.

“A voice recording of the crew’s communications with the control tower during takeoff failed to give investigators any clues as to the cause of the accident. The pilots were apparently unaware the aircraft was on fire before crashing. The pilot’s communications were normal until he reported losing power in number two engine…. The Air Force Board of Investigation, relying heavily on two eyewitness accounts of the aircraft’s final moments, determined the accident was probably caused by a ruptured fuel line resulting in engine failure during takeoff, the plane’s most vulnerable period….” (McClary, Daryl C. “U.S. Air Force C-124A Globemaster II crashes near McChord Air Force Base on May 24, 1961.” HistoryLink.org Essay 8512.)

Newspaper

May 24, AP: “Tacoma (AP) – A fiery take-off crash of a big C124 Globemaster in foggy darkness Wednesday killed six Air Force men, including two veteran pilots, and 12 soldiers homeward bound to Oklahoma. Three Army and one Air Force enlisted men survived. All but one were in critical condition at Madigan Army Hospital.

“The four-engine, propeller-driven transport also was carrying several pieces of heavy equipment as it lumbered off the McChord Air Force Base runway at 2:33 a.m., faltered, plunged into a wooded area and burned. What caused the crash was not known. The C124 was not overloaded. The Air Force said ‘normal communications’ were maintained with the Globemaster during the takeoff and there was no warning of impending disaster….” (Associated Press. “Fiery Takeoff Crash at McChord Fatal to 18.” Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA. 5-24-1961.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Fiery Takeoff Crash at McChord Fatal to 18.” Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA. 5-24-1961. Accessed 10-27-2022 at: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CKpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CugDAAAAIBAJ&dq=tacoma%20crash&pg=1801%2C3399880

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Globemaster II crash after takeoff ~McChord AFB, WA. Accessed 10-27-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19610524-2

McClary, Daryl C. “U.S. Air Force C-124A Globemaster II crashes near McChord Air Force Base on May 24, 1961.” HistoryLink.org Essay 8512. History Link: The free online encyclopedia of Washington State history. Accessed 10-27-2022 at: https://www.historylink.org/File/8512

–143  Blanchard estimated range.

–143  Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 506, 973-974.[1]

–142  Carbin, Schaefer, Edwards (SPC). The 15 Deadliest U.S. Tornado Days since 1950.

–139  AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan and Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, p. 1.

 

Michigan        (125)

–123  AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan and Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, p. 1.

—    1  Ann Arbor

—    1  Brown City

—    4  Erie

–113  Flint

—    4  Tawas City

–125  Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes. 1993, p. 506.

—    4  Monroe Co., 18:25 F4. Motorist seeking shelter in ditch; 3 people in one house.[2]

—    1  Washtenaw Co., Pleasant Lake area farmhouse, 19:30 tornado. Grazulis 1993, p.973.

—    4  Iosco County, Big Island Lake cabin; 20:20 F3. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.

–115  Genesee/Lapeer Counties, Flint, 20:30 F5. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.

—    1  Lapeer County, Brown City area; 21:30 F4. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.[3]

 

Flint-Beecher Tornado (MI):

—       116  Bloomberg. “Missouri Officials Debate Joplin Deaths.”  May 24, 2011.

—       116  Ludlum. The American Weather Book, 1982, p. 107.

–115-116  National Weather Service, Detroit 2003

—       115  AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan and Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, p1.

—       115  Brooks and Doswell. “Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes…US,”  2000.

—       115  Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes. 1993, xiv

—       115  Grazulis. “The Top Ten US Killer Tornadoes.”

—       115  Flint MI. Grazulis. The Tornado: Nature’s Ultimate Windstorm. 2001, p. 292.

—       115  NWS WFO, Paducah, KY. NOAA/NWS 1925 Tri-State Tornado. “General Info.”

—       115  Storm Prediction Center, NOAA. The 25 Deadliest Tornadoes

—       113  Historyorb.com. Today in Michigan History.

—       113  Flint. Levine. F5. 2007, p. 70.

 

Ohio               (  18)

–18  Grazulis 1993, pp. 506 and 973.

–5  Wood County, Cygnet area, 19:00 tornado. Woman and four children.

–3  Wood and/or Sandusky County, 19:00 tornado.

–1  Erie County, Ceylon area home, 19:30 tornado.

–5  Cuyahoga County, Cleveland westside home; 21:08 F3. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.

–2  Cuyahoga/Lorain F3; 21:03 F3. No detail, though included as direct tornado deaths.[4]

–1  Cuyahoga/Lorain F3; 21:03 F3. Heart attack. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.

–1  Cuyahoga/Lorain F3; 21:03 F3. Electrocution afterwards. Grazulis 1993, p. 974.

–10  Cygnet area. AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan…Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, 1.[5]

—  8  Wood County (Cygnet is in Wood Co.).[6]

—  8  Cleveland area. AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan…Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, 1.

—  1  Elyria. AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan…Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, 1.

—  1  Ceylon. AP. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan…Ohio…” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, 1.

 

Narrative Information

 

Grazulis: “MI  JUN 8, 1953 1825 4k 18inj 200y 7m  F4.  MONROE–This tornado touched down near Temperance, and moved due E along East Temperance Road to Telegraph.  Lifting over Erie, the funnel touched down again along Substation Road and moved out over Lake Erie as a waterspout for another 44 minutes, for a total path length of almost 40 miles. It was last seen 10m SW of Kingsville, Ontario. Cars and trucks were hurled off the road as the funnel passed over US-24. Damage totaled about $500,000, as 15 houses were destroyed and 14 were damaged. A six-ton truck was thrown 80 feet and three cars were seen in the air at one time. A motorist who had sought shelter in a ditch was killed, as were three people in one house….

 

“OH     JUN 8, 1953 1900 8k 48inj…20m F4.  WOOD/SANDUSKY—Moved ENE, then NE from 4m NE of Deshler, passing 3m NW of Cygnet. A woman and four children were killed in one home west of Cygnet. Damage in the Cygnet area may have been of F5 intensity. $500,000.

 

“OH  JUN 8, 1953 1930 lk 23inj…10m F3.  ERIE–Moved ENE from 4m E of Kimball, passing just south of Ceylon, parallel to the lake shore, and ending near Vermilion. One person was killed as a home was nearly leveled near Ceylon. Most of the injuries were in a home between Ceylon and Axtel. Six people were injured at Vermilion.

 

“MI  JUN 8, 1953 1930 lk 5inj 70y 15m F3.  WASHTENAW–Moved ENE from Pleasant Lake, 5m NE of Manchester to just north of Ypsilanti, and ending 5m SW of Ann Arbor. A timber was blown into a basement near Pleasant Lake, killing a fanner and injuring five others. A home and three barns were leveled. $40,000….

 

“MI  JUN 8, 1953 2020 4k 13inj 400y 18in F3. IOSCO–Moved ENE from Indiana Lake to Lake Huron. Five vacation “cabins” were leveled, and six others were badly damaged. There was $300,000 damage to vacation property. Four in one family were killed in a cabin on Big Island Lake.

 

“MI  JUN 8, 1953 2030 115k 844inj 800y 27m  F5.  GENESEE/LAPEER—Moved ENE and E from 2m N of Flushing, devastating the north part of Flint, ending 2m N of Lapeer. The tornado virtually obliterated all homes on both sides of Coldwater Road for about a mile. It was there that the damage swath was over a half mile wide, and most of the deaths occurred. There were multiple deaths in at least 20 families. This was the last single tornado, as of this writing, to cause over 100 deaths in the United States. $19,000,000.

 

“OH  JUN 8, 1953 2108 7k 300inj 400y 20m F3.  LORAIN/CUYAHOGA—Moved NE from south of Elyria, passing across the NW edge of Hopkins International Airport, then out onto Lake Erie at east 40th Street. About 100 homes were destroyed. Five people were killed in one home on the west side of Cleveland. There was a square mile of damage from West 117th to West 130th Streets and Massillon. Damage may have begun near Birmingham at the Erie-Lorain County line. The official death total is nine, but one death was from a heart attack and one by a post-tornado electrocution.

 

MI  JUN 8, 1953 2130 lk 34inj 500y 34m F4.  LAPEER/ST.CLAIR—Moved E across farmland from Kings Mill to Lake Huron, passing north of Yale, then south of Jeddo and 2m N of Lakeport, where it moved out into Lake Huron. This tornado was in the same family as the Flint tornado, and its one death is often added to the Flint total. That death was in a home 4m SSE of Brown City, Lapeer County. Two homes and many barns were “blown away.” $500,000.”  (Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 973-974.)

 

NWS: Oldest fatality 80; youngest fatality: 5 months; injuries: 844

 

Damage: $19 million in 1953 dollars ($125 million in 2003 dollars).  340 homes were destroyed, 107 suffered “major damage”, and 153 suffered “minor damage”. Another 66 buildings destroyed or damaged to farms, businesses and other buildings.

 

Path Length: 27 miles.”  (NWS, Detroit/Pontiac Forecast Office, Beecher Tornado Facts, 1970)

 

Newspapers

 

June 9: “Flint, Mich. (AP)–Six roaring tornadoes, their black-clouded funnels dealing multi-million dollar destruction, ripped furiously through parts of Michigan and Ohio last night, killing 139 and injuring 750. The most deadly of the shrieking windstorms flung full force against Flint, a heavily industrialized city of 163,000 about 70 miles north of Detroit. In Flint alone at least 113 persons were killed. Forty houses in one Flint street were flattened like pancakes. Many managed bodies were found today in the wreckage of homes.

 

“The tornadoes shot the nations spring twister toll to 358 dead. Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma have been hit hard recently.

 

“The new tornado struck Michigan while the state was still cleaning up the May 21 twister that whirled through the outskirts of Port Huron, Mich., and jumped the St. Clair River and tore through Sarnia, Ont.

 

“The first tornado lashed Erie, Mich., just over the Michigan-Ohio line from Toledo, O., at 5:25 p.m. (CST). At 7:10 p.m. a twister hedge-hopped through Washtenaw County, 35 miles to the north and swept into Milford, Oakland County, 15 miles to the northeast. Tawas City, midway up the eastern coast of Michigan on Lake Huron, was hit at 7:25 p.m. and Flint at 7:45 p.m. The tornado area extended from Tawas City down across the Ohio-Michigan border to Bowling Green — a path of 350 miles.

 

“Ten persons died in the twister that truck the Cygnet, O., area. Eight died in the Cleveland area,; and one each at Elyria and Ceylon.

 

“Michigan fatalities, in addition to those at Flint, included four dead at Erie; four dead at Tawas City; one at Ann Arbor; and one in Brown City, near Lapeer.

 

“Flint hospitals were filled with the injured–many crowded into corridors still stunned by the swift destruction that hit their homes.

 

“National Guard troops, state police and police officers from numerous Michigan cities converged on the Flint area to aid in the rescue work. Gov. G. Mennen Williams took personal command but did not declare a state of martial law.

 

“The Flint tornado killed many in homes on Coldwater Road and Kurtz Street, before it hedge-hopped eastward through Michigan’s ‘thumb’ toward Lake Huron. It was so powerful it tossed huge trailer trucks off highways and smashed brick houses as though they were matchboxes….

 

“Gov. Williams asked President Eisenhower to declare the Flint area, as well as other Michigan communities, ‘disaster’ areas….

 

“Flint was a sorrowful town this morning. Relatives trooped through the National Guard armory which had been converted into a temporary morgue looking for wives, children and parents….

 

“Nurses and doctors and ambulances came from cities across the lower portion of Michigan. When hospitals ran out of bed space, the injured were placed on floors of the corridors.

 

(Associated Press. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan and Ohio; State’s Worst Disaster.” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Six Roaring Twisters Hit Michigan and Ohio; State’s Worst Disaster.” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 6-9-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-15-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ironwood-daily-globe-jun-09-1953-p-1/

 

Associated Press. “249 Tornadoes Are Recorded Over Nation.” Middletown, OH. 6-10-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-15-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/middletown-journal-jun-10-1953-p-1/

 

Bloomberg. “Missouri Officials Debate Joplin Deaths.” 5-24-2011. Accessed at:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-24/storms-may-sweep-across-u-s-plains-after-tornado-that-killed-at-least-116.html

 

Brooks, Harold E. and Charles A Doswell III (NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory).  “Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes in the United States: 1890-1999.” Revised manuscript submitted as Note to Weather and Forecasting, Vol. 16, 9 p., Sep 2000.  Accessed 11-25-2017 at: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/users/brooks/public_html/damage/tdam1.html

 

Carbin, Greg, Joe Schaefer, Roger Edwards. The 15 Deadliest U.S. Tornado Days since 1950.  Storm Prediction Center, NOAA. 10-12-2009 at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq//tornado/fatalday.htm

 

Grazulis, Thomas P. “Descriptions of the Top Ten US Killer Tornadoes #9: The Flint Tornado.”  Accessed 10/12/2009 at: http://www.tornadoproject.com/toptens/9.htm#top

 

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

 

Grazulis, Thomas P. The Tornado: Nature’s Ultimate Windstorm. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001, 324 pages.

 

HistoryOrb.com. Today in Michigan History. At:  http://www.historyorb.com/countries/usa/michigan

 

Levine, Mark. F5: Devastation, Survival, and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the Twentieth Century. New York: Miramax Books, 2007.

 

Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Detroit/Pontiac, MI. Beecher 50^th Anniversary Commemoration, 1953 Beecher Tornado. June 2003. Accessed 5-15-2019 at: https://www.weather.gov/dtx/1953beecher

 

National Weather Service Forecast Office, Paducah, KY. 1925 Tri-State Tornado: A Look Back. NWS, NOAA. Nov 2, 2005 update. Accessed at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/1925/

 

Storm Prediction Center. The 25 Deadliest U.S. Tornadoes. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service. NOAA. Accessed 10-12-2008 at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/killers.html

 

 

 

 

[1] Includes one heart attack death and one post-tornado electrocution.

[2] Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes. 1993, p. 973.

[3] Grazulis notes that “This tornado was in the same family as the Flint tornado, and its one death is often added to the Flint total.”

[4] Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes. 1993, p. 974.

[5] Since an AP report the next day referred to eight deaths in Wood County, which includes Cygnet, we assume death toll was downgraded.

[6] Associated Press. “249 Tornadoes Are Recorded Over Nation.” Middletown, OH. 6-10-1953, p. 1.

–11 AirDisaster.com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 04281951.
–11 Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United Air Lines Flight 129, 28 Apr 1951
–11 CAB. AIR. United Air Lines, Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 28, 1951.
–11 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AJFM&P, 3/1, Mar 1982, Table 1, p 53.

Narrative Information

AirDisaster.com: “The aircraft crashed after encountering a squall line with heavy winds and torrential rains.” (AirDisaster.com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 04281951.)

Aviation Safety Network Flight Safety Foundation Database, United 129 crash ~Fort Wayne:
“Date: Saturday 28 April 1951
“Time: 19:32
“Type: Douglas DC-3A-197
“Operator: United Airlines
“Registration: N16088
“MSN: 1927
“First Flight: 1937
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
“Passengers: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
“Total: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
….
“Location: near Fort Wayne, IN (United States of America)
“Phase: Approach
“Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
“Departure airport: Cleveland, OH
“Destination airport: Fort Wayne Municipal Airport/Baer Field, IN
“Flight number: UA129
“Narrative:

“United Flight 129 departed Cleveland at 18:07 for Chicago, Illinois, with stops scheduled at Fort Wayne and South Bend. At 18:47, the flight reported over Toledo and estimated its arrival Fort Wayne at 19:32. At 19:20 the flight reported it was approaching Fort Wayne, reported again when nineteen miles northeast of Baer Field and was advised at runway 22 was the runway in use and that the wind was five to ten miles per hour from the southwest. Due to thunderstorm activity in the area, the wind at the airport shifted to west-northwest and increased in velocity from 5-10 miles per hour to 40 mph. The tower notified the crew and runway 27 was suggested. When the aircraft was east of the airport the wind increased to 60-65 miles per hour with gusts to 85 miles per hour and a heavy rainfall began, accompanied by lightning and severe static. The flight was quickly advised of the weather change but, due to the sudden decrease in visibility. The approach was aborted. At 19:32 the DC-3 struck the ground in a near level attitude with the left wing slightly low. The plane broke up and the main wreckage came to rest in a wooded area several hundred feet distant from the point of initial impact.”

Civil Aeronautics Board, Air Investigation Report. United Air Lines, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN:

“The Accident

“At approximately 1932, April 28, 1951, United Air Lines Flight 129, a Douglas DC-3, A-16088, crashed and burned 2 6 miles east-southeast of Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana The eleven occupants were killed and the aircraft was demolished.

“History of the Flight

“Flight 129 departed Cleveland, Ohio, at 1807, April 28, 1951, for Chicago, Illinois, with stops scheduled at Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana. The crew consisted of Captain E. K. Swallow, First Officer H. R. Miller, and Stewardess Beverly Ellis, there were eight passengers on board at the time of departure….

“Because of thunderstorm activity in the area, three other aircraft were requesting instructions to land at approximately the time Flight 129 was making its approach. Two of these aircraft landed successfully and the pilot of one, upon request, advised the tower that…[a] thunderstorm was approximately ten miles west of the airport.

“At the time the four aircraft were approaching Baer Field, United…was number four to land in the traffic pattern immediately behind Trans World Airlines Flight 240, a DC-3 aircraft. When these latter aircraft were approximately one and two and one-half miles, respectively, from the approach end of Runway 22, the wind at the airport shifted to west-northwest and increased in velocity from 5-10 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour. Both flights were advised by the tower of the sudden change of wind direction and increased velocity, and a landing on Runway 27 was suggested, it being more nearly into the wind….

“When these aircraft were east of the airport the wind increased to 60-65 miles per hour with gusts to 85 miles per hour and a heavy rainfall began, accompanied by lightning and severe static. The flights were quickly advised of the weather change but, due to the sudden decrease in visibility, neither flight was seen again by the tower. Flight 129 immediately advised, “United 129 heading east” This was closely followed by a message from TWA 240, “Pulling out.” In order to avoid a possible collision the tower then requested separation altitudes for these aircraft from Chicago ARTC and was advised that Flight 129 was assigned an altitude of 4,000 feet and that Flight 240 was assigned 3,000 feet. Both clearances were broadcast from the tower several times without acknowledgment.

“At 1932 an orange-colored flash was seen to the east-southeast from the tower. It was later determined that United Flight 129 had crashed in a field 2.6 miles east-southeast of the airport. TWA Flight 240 proceeded safely to Toledo….

“Investigation

“….The U.S. Weather Bureau first forecast the movement of…[a] squall line to be at the rate of 30 miles per hour. At 1713, an hour before it was forecast to arrive there the squall line reached Chicago. The Weather Bureau then amended its forecast to indicate the forward movement of the storm to be 40 miles per hour and reported severe turbulence in the storm area over northern Illinois. A Chicago special weather sequence report, at 1719, reported a thunderstorm accompanied by heavy hail and wind from the north-northwest at 42 miles per hour with gusts to 57 miles per hour. At 1831, the storm reached South Bend and was reported as being heavy with small hail and wind from the west-northwest at 35 miles per hour with gusts to 55 miles per hour. Two pilots attempted to penetrate the storm in the vicinity of North Liberty and Goshen, Indiana, but decided it was inadvisable to do so and returned to Fort Wayne.

“Several tornadoes were reported along the squall line, three were plotted as beginning near the Indiana-Ohio state border and extending eastward. One of these tornadoes, in its formative stage, was a short distance east of the scene of the accident. No evidence of tornado damage could be found along the flight path of the subject aircraft.

“Large hailstones were reported falling near the scene of the accident, however, it was determined that hail did not fall in this area until after the crash occurred.

“Neither the company meteorologist nor the Weather Bureau anticipated the rapid movement of the storm or its severity in the Fort Wayne area. Investigation revealed that the storm progressed along northern Indiana at a rate averaging in excess of 60 miles per hour instead of the 40 miles per hour previously forecast. It took approximately five minutes, only for the storm to arrive over Baer Field after it had been reported as being 10 miles distant. This indicated that the location of the storm was inaccurately reported since, to travel this distance in the time given, the storm would have moved at a rate in excess of its known speed [or 120 mph].

“The pilot of TWA’s Flight 240 stated that when he was approaching the airport and was advised of the accelerated wind with gusts to 85 miles per hour, he immediately executed a left turn and proceeded to Toledo….It should be noted that Flight 240 turned immediately ahead of and avoided the approaching storm, but that Flight 129 was caught in the storm during the turn. The few seconds in time and the short distance separating Flight 240 from the subject aircraft meant the difference between flying through reasonably stable air or severe down drafts and turbulence.

“Analysis

“A down draft is composed of cool relatively dense air. It is logical to assume that practically all initial down drafts descent to the ground, then start fanning out, proceeding ahead of the storm by means of horizontal flow. Thereafter, down drafts in new cloud developments along the forward edge of the storm lose most of their downward velocity before reaching the ground. It is for that reason that a plane caught in a down draft usually can recover before being carried dangerously close to the ground. In the case of the squall line at Fort Wayne the propagation of the storm was so rapid on the forward side that it resulted in an increased movement of eh squall line amounting to 30 miles per hour or more. As a consequence, the fanning out process never had time to form an outflow ahead of the storm and new down drafts descended to the ground because of the lack of the cushioning effect….Since the testimony of witnesses who saw the aircraft in flight does not indicate loss of lateral control and the aircraft struck the ground in a near level attitude and with power on, it can reasonably be assumed that a severe down draft was encountered on the edge of the storm from which there was insufficient altitude to recover. Down drafts of such magnitude are frequently a part of a line squall development but do not usually occur so close to the ground….

“Findings
….
“2. The squall line moved across northern Illinois and northern Indiana considerably faster than was forecast.

“3. A line of thunderstorms was known to be approaching Fort Wayne. However, it was believed that aircraft in the area could effect safe landings prior to the storm’s arrival there.

“4. When the subject flight and another were approaching Runway 27, they were advised of the surface wind’s increased velocity to 65 miles per hour with gusts to 85 miles per hour.

“5. When the approach was abandoned the aircraft encountered the forward edge of the squall line and was subjected to a severe down draft from which recovery could not be made.

“Probable Cause

“The Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the severe down draft encountered which caused the aircraft to strike the ground in a near level attitude.” (Civil Aeronautics Board. AIR. United Air Lines, Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 28, 1951.)

Sources

AirDisaster.com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 04281951. Accessed at: http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=04281951&reg=N16088&airline=United+Airlines

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United Air Lines Flight 129, 28 Apr 1951. Accessed 2/17/2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510428-1

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report United Air Lines, Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 28, 1951. Washington, DC: CAB, October 22, 1951, 9 pages. Accessed at: http://dotlibrary1.specialcollection.net/scripts/ws.dll?file&fn=8&name=*P%3A%5CDOT%5Cairplane%20accidents%5Cwebsearch%5C042851.pdf [Inoperable when double-checked 6-25-2023.] Accessed 6-25-2023 at: file:///C:/Users/Wayne/Downloads/dot_33415_DS1.pdf

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.

— 3  German, Erik. “Retro Report. Rugy Ridge: American Standoff.” NY Times. 10-26-2014.

— 3  U.S. DOJ. Report of the Ruby Ridge Task Force…, June 10, 1994, pp. 1-2.

 

Narrative Information

 

German: “When armed suspects stand off against the law today, one event continues to cast a shadow on both sides of the police line: the 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge. In 1992, federal agents surrounded the remote Idaho cabin of fugitive Randy Weaver, wanted for selling two illegal sawed-off shotguns to an informant. By the time Weaver surrendered 11 days later, his wife, 14-year-old son and a federal agent were dead.

 

“The outcry afterwards sparked Congressional hearings and investigations that shook the highest ranks of the FBI. It also began a new way of thinking about police tactics that has impacted some of the most far-flung corners of the country.”

 

U.S. DOJ Executive Summary: “Overview. In February 1993, the Office of Professional Responsibility (‘OPR’) of the U.S. Department of Justice (the ‘Department’) was informed of allegations made by defense counsel for Randall (‘Randy’) Weaver and Kevin Harris in the criminal case of United States v. Weaver which was pending in the federal district court in Idaho. Defense counsel alleged that employees of several components of the Department had engaged in criminal and professional misconduct during the investigation, apprehension and prosecution of Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris. The Department decided to defer action on this matter until the criminal trial was completed.

 

“In July 1993, a jury acquitted Weaver and Harris of charges stemming from the murder of a federal officer. Following the acquittal, numerous additional allegations were raised by defense counsel and other sources against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (‘BATF’), the U.S. Marshals Service (‘Marshals Service’) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho (‘USAO’). Included among these allegations were claims that Department employees had unlawfully caused the deaths of Sammy and Vicki Weaver, had taken actions that had obstructed justice, had committed perjury and had engaged in other criminal and ethical misconduct. In late July 1993, attorneys from OPR and the Criminal Division of the Department, assisted by inspectors from the FBI, began an investigation of these allegations.

 

“This report details the results of this investigation and traces chronologically the events that occurred in the Weaver matter….These efforts culminated in the August 21, 1992 gun battle at Ruby Ridge which took the lives of Deputy Marshal William Degan and Weaver’s son, Sammy Weaver. Next the report contains a discussion of the involvement of the FBI in the Weaver matter, including its initial intervention in the crisis, its responsibility for the death of Vicki Weaver and wounding of Kevin Harris on August 22, 1992, its handling of the crisis including its attempts to end the week-long standoff, its handling of the crime scene searches and its subsequent activities in assisting the USAO in preparing the Weaver case for trial….” (p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

German, Erik. “Retro Report. Rugy Ridge: American Standoff.” New York Times 10-26-2014. Accessed 4-8-2016 at: http://www.retroreport.org/video/ruby-ridge-american-standoff/

 

United States Department of Justice. Report of the Ruby Ridge Task Force to the Office of Professional Responsibility of Investigation of Allegations of Improper Governmental Conduct in the Investigation, Apprehension and Prosecution of Randall C. Weaver and Kevin L. Harris. Washington, DC: US DOJ, June 10, 1994. Accessed 4-8-2016 at: https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opr/legacy/2006/11/09/rubyreportcover_39.pdf