by Darwin Charles Brown for the Civil Aeronautics Board

“ As a normal landing was being completed and while the plane was rolling west on the east-west runway at about 50 miles per hour, its landing lights picked out a military aircraft directly in its path and only 600 or 700 feet away. The military plane was taxying south to north across the runway, and its camouflaging made it scarcely discernible. ”

“ Subsequent investigation disclosed that the military plane on the runway was one of nine which had been refueling near the administration building just south of the east-west runway at the time loud speakers announced the approach and intended landing of Trip 1. The airport manager had intended that the pilots of those nine planes cross the east-west runway at a runway intersection farther west and then return east to a designated parking space north of the east-west runway. ”

“ None of them was occupied. A Douglas DC-3 airplane, NC 21794, owned and operated by American Airlines, Inc., also received major damage. None of the 21 passengers in the Douglas or its crew of three received any injuries. ”