Investigation Summary
The Delta Air Lines DC-3, named Survey, was conducting a facility inspection flight to evaluate Muscogee County Airport for future scheduled passenger service. On board were several high-ranking Delta officials, including the Vice President of Operations, George R. Cushing, who was acting as Captain. The aircraft had departed Macon at 10:04 a.m. and entered a standard left-hand traffic circuit at Columbus. Simultaneously, a Vultee BT-13 Valiant, owned by the Tuskegee Aviation Institute and piloted by Joseph C. Fussell, approached the same runway from the southeast without flying a traffic circuit. As the DC-3 was just 10 feet above the ground on short final, the BT-13 landed directly on top of it, with its left wing becoming entangled in the DC-3's empennage. The sudden weight forced the DC-3's tail down, and in an attempt to recover, Captain Cushing applied full throttle. This resulted in a brief climb to 150 feet, but the aerodynamic interference and weight of the wedged aircraft led to a stall. The combined wreckage struck the ground and was consumed by fire.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) released its final report on July 31, 1947. The Board determined the probable cause was the failure of the BT-13 pilot to fly a standard left-hand pattern and to keep a diligent lookout for other traffic. The accident highlighted the dangers of uncontrolled airfields, as Delta's president noted the lack of a control tower at Muscogee County Airport contributed to the lack of separation.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Delta Air Lines Survey — Douglas DC-3C · NC49657
Private (Tuskegee Aviation Institute) NC55312 — Vultee BT-13 Valiant · NC55312
Crew Experience
Captain
George R. Cushing, Delta VP of Operations.
Observer / Acting Co-pilot
Clayton Berry, Delta's airport communications supervisor; suspected to be in the right pilot's seat.
Pilot
Joseph C. Fussell.
Systems & Failure Modes
Traffic Circuit
A standard path followed by aircraft when departing or arriving at an airport; the BT-13 pilot's failure to fly a standard left-hand circuit was the primary factor in the collision.
Empennage
The tail assembly of the DC-3, which became entangled with the left wing of the BT-13, causing a loss of pitch control and subsequent stall.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident resulted in the deaths of several key Delta Air Lines executives, including the Vice President of Operations.
- 02Visibility at the time of the collision was reported as perfect.
- 03The DC-3 had completed 2,899 operating hours at the time of the accident.
- 04The BT-13 pilot had over 2,000 hours of flight experience but failed to follow standard arrival procedures.
- 05This was Delta Air Lines' first fatal accident since 1935.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Airport Infrastructure Upgrades
Following the accident and the CAB report, Muscogee County Airport was approved for federal funding to upgrade navigational equipment and safety infrastructure.