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Airplane and Equipment
Aircraft NC 18146 was a Douglas Model DST-A, manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., of Santa Monica, California. It was completed March 25, 1938, and was purchased by United on April 4, 1938. The airplane was powered with two Pratt & Whitney S1C3G engines, and was equipped with Hamilton Standard constant speed, hydromatic, full-feathering propellers. This model airplane had been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration for air carrier operation over the routes flown by United with thirteen passengers (at night) and a crew of four. The evidence indicates that the airplane and its equipment had received the overhauls, periodic inspections, and checks which are required by company practice and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and that airplane was in an airworthy condition the time of its departure from San Francisco on the day of the accident.
History of the Flight
United's Trip 4 of May 1, 1942 originated at Sen Francisco, California, with New York, New York, as its destination. Several intermediate stops were scheduled, the first two of which were Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah. It was planned to fly contact to Blue Canyon, California, and on instruments the remainder of the trip to Salt lake City. The trip departed from San Fransisco at 5:21. p.m. and from Oakland, with 620 gallons of gasoline, at 5:57 p.m. (PWT). The gross weight of the airplane upon departure from Oakland was 25,169 pounds, which was within the permissible gross weight. The weight manifest prepared at that point shows that the load was in accordance with United's approved loading schedule and therefor indicates that the c.g.
