Investigation Summary
The accident occurred less than 24 hours after another major DC-4 crash (United Air Lines Flight 521), leading to a high-profile investigation witnessed by Civil Aeronautics Board members who were already in the air returning from the previous crash site. Witnesses on the ground reported the aircraft performing a sudden, vertical dive that became partially inverted before impact. Investigators found that the tail section (empennage) had disintegrated, but they were unable to establish whether this structural failure was the primary cause of the dive or a secondary result of the extreme aerodynamic forces encountered during an unexplained loss of control. The investigation was noted as the most intensive in the CAB's history up to that point.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board determined the probable cause was a sudden loss of control for reasons unknown, resulting in a dive to the ground. While structural failure of the empennage was documented, the sequence of events remained speculative.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Captain William E. Miller. Total flight time 7,500 hours, with 1,200 hours on DC-4 type.
First Officer
First Officer T. L. Knight. Total flight time 2,500 hours, with 500 hours on DC-4 type.
Systems & Failure Modes
Empennage
The tail assembly, which investigators found had disintegrated during the high-speed dive.
Elevator Hinge
A suspected failure point mentioned in secondary literature (Ernest K. Gann) involving a missing hinge bolt, though not confirmed by the CAB.
Interesting Facts
- 01At the time of the crash, it was the deadliest commercial aviation accident in United States history.
- 02The aircraft (MSN 18380) was a military-surplus C-54B Skymaster leased to Eastern Air Lines on November 29, 1945.
- 03The crash occurred less than 24 hours after the crash of United Air Lines Flight 521, another DC-4.
- 04Investigators found the empennage had disintegrated during the dive, but could not determine if this was the cause or an effect.
- 05The aircraft impacted a moderately to densely wooded area with trees 60 to 70 feet high.
Safety Actions & Advisories
DC-4 Fleet Inspection
Following the back-to-back crashes of United Flight 521 and Eastern Flight 605, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the airlines initiated intensive inspections of the DC-4/C-54 fleet, focusing on control surfaces and structural integrity of the empennage.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Ernest K. Gann's Missing Hinge Bolt Theory
Reference ↗In his book 'Fate Is the Hunter', veteran pilot Ernest K. Gann suggested the crash was caused by the unporting of the elevators due to a missing hinge bolt, a mechanical failure he claimed to have narrowly avoided on a similar aircraft the same day.