Darwin Charles Brown

“ Illuminated by frequent lightning flashes, the runway was plainly visible. The air was turbulent, and at one point, while 150 feet off the ground, the airplane was thrown to the right by an exceptionally severe gust. Shoff realigned the aircraft with the runway and crossed the southeast end at about 20 feet altitude with an indicated air speed of 90 m.p.h. The throttles were closed, and the airplane continued to descend until it touched the ground in a normal wheel landing about one-quarter of the way down the 4100-foot runway. ”

“ The wheel tracks made by the airplane on the runway, however, show that the only time the brakes had been effective was when the airplane crossed a concrete strip about 175 feet in width at the end of the runway. ”

“ A Douglas DC-3 aircraft, NC 17332, owned and operated by American Airlines, Inc., received minor damage in an accident which occurred at about 9:17 p.m. on February 5, 1942, at the Municipal Airport, Little Rock, Arkansas. No injuries were sustained by any of the seven passengers or the crew of three. ”