Flight 14 to descend to 1500 feet enroute to Coney Island. When ever Coney Island at 1500 feet the flight was cleared to La Guardia Tower and received subsequent instructions from the tower. La Guardia Tower advised the flight that it was number 1 to land on runway 13, and that the local weather was: ceiling 500 feet; visibility two and one half miles; wind 15 mph southeast.
A standard radio range instrument approach to the northeast was made with initial crossing over the range station at 1200 feet. The flight began the final descent towards the field, however, the captain stated that visual contact was not established until approximately at 500 feet over the edge of the approach lights to runway 4. Believing that he did not have sufficient time to turn into a landing approach to the southeast, the pilot initiated a missed approach procedure and requested instructions from La Guardia Tower.
Flight 14 was offered the use of the Automatic Direction Finding Approach Control facilities installed at la Guardia Field and, being familiar with the procedures involved, the pilot executed an ADF approach in his second attempt. During the approach procedure, the Eastern Air Lines' pilot decided to attempt a straight—in landing in order to avoid the necessity of maneuvering under the 500 foot ceiling to align the aircraft with another runway. The second approach was again high and when over the edge of runway 4 at 300 feet, the pilot testified that he decided to go around again. The pilot stated, however, that in attempting to apply take—off power, the left engine back—fired and would not indicate more than 15 inches of manifold pressure. At that time he observed a bright red flare from the left engine, and, being apprehensive of engine failure under the
conditions which existed, he stated further that he throttled back both engines completely and forced the aircraft on to the runway.
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