Adopted May 15, 1942
File No. 2561-41REPORT OF THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD
of the
Investigation of an Accident Involving Aircraft in Scheduled Air Carrier Operation.
A Douglas aircraft, Model DST, NC 16001, owned and operated by American Airlines, Inc., was extensively damaged in an accident which occurred near Euless, Texas, on June 21, 1941, about 8:48 p.m. No injuries were sustained by any of the fourteen passengers or the crew of three. The latter consisted of Captain William B. Hooton and First Officer James O. Tipton, both of whom were properly certificated and appropriately rated, and Stewardess Norvet.
American Airlines Trip No. 2 departed Fort Worth, Texas, June 21, 1941, about 8:37 p.m., on a flight to New York, New York, with its first intermediate stop scheduled at Dallas, Texas. Contact weather conditions prevailed at, and between, Fort Worth and Dallas. Before departure the captain and first officer made the usual cockpit checks. In these checks the fuel gauges indicated as follows: Left Main, approximately full; Right Main, approximately full; Left Auxiliary, slightly in excess of 50 gallons; Right Auxiliary, Empty. After starting the engines, the crew received instructions for take-off and clearance by Airway Traffic Control to cruise at 1500 feet above sea level (approximately 800 feet above ground level) to the Love Field Airport Control Tower at Dallas. As the captain taxied out, the first officer again checked the fuel gauges and stated that the left auxiliary gauge indicated approximately 60 gallons. The take-off and climb, which were made with the fuel selector valve turned to the left main tank in accordance with company procedure, were normal. Just before reaching cruising altitude, approximately 3 minutes after take-off, the captain switched from the left main to the left auxiliary tank. The gauge for that tank then indicated between 40 and 50 gallons. The flight proceeded normally, at cruising altitude, until it reached a point about six miles west of Midway Beacon, approximately 7 minutes out of Fort Worth, when the crew first experienced trouble in synchronizing the propellers. The right engine lost power gradually, with no roughness, backfiring, or missing. The right fuel pressure began to drop and the red warning light came on. The fuel pressure continued dropping until it reached zero. The captain prepared for single-engine operation and directed the first officer to feather the right propeller. Just as he was preparing to carry out the order, the left engine stopped and the first officer immediately began manipulating the fuel wobble pump. At this time both fuel pressure gauges indicated zero and both warning lights were on. The captain then switched from the left auxiliary tank to the left main tank. Both engines came on with a surge and ran, but not at full power, for a short period of time, estimated as between 30 and 50 seconds. Then both fuel pressure gauges dropped to zero, both warning lights came on, and both engines stopped. The captain instructed the first officer to drop a flare and to advise Fort Worth. Thereupon, at 8:45 p.m., the first officer radioed the following message to American Airlines Dispatch Office at Fort Worth: "Both engines went out. Making a forced landing."
