Portal:Bureau of Air Commerce

“ From the appearance of the wreckage and facts available, it is believed that the pilot, while attempting to complete an emergency landing, lost control of the plane due to the absence of the weight of the left outboard engine and the resulting disturbed airflow over the wing. ”

“ On August 14, 1935 at about 11:45 p.m. at a point 9 miles west and 3 miles south of the Town of Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas, an aircraft of United States registry, piloted by a licensed airman, while being flown in scheduled interstate operation carrying passengers, mail and express, crashed while trying to effect an emergency landing with resultant death to both crew and passengers and the complete destruction of the aircraft.
The airplane, a Stinson, model A, had been regularly inspected by the Department of Commerce on June 29, 1935 and bore Department of Commerce license number NC-14599. ”

“ This report, however, was more than one hour old at the time of departure and, due either to local conditions or the predicted change, the area closed in sooner than had been expected. Apparently, no effort was made to communicate this fact to the pilot. ”

“ Improper control by the company's ground personnel at Albuquerque for not calling the airplane back or ordering it to stop at an intermediate point when it was found that two-way radio communication could not be established. ”

“ The airplane, owned and operated by Braniff Airways, Incorporated, was a Lockheed Vega, model 5-C, and bore Department of Commerce license number NC-106W. This was a mail and express schedule and passengers were not permitted to be carried. ”

“ Not having heard from the plane at Kansas City at 3:00 a.m., the company directed the following radio message to the pilot; "Proceed toward Burlington as Burlington or Kirksville are the best available fields." At 5:15 a.m., at the request of the company, a similar message was broadcast over the Department of Commerce radio range. Subsequent developments indicate that the pilot had directed his course towards Kirksville, Mo., before these messages were sent. The air line distance from Kansas City to Kirksville at 128 miles. ”