Investigation Summary
On July 2, 1963, Mohawk Airlines Flight 112 was scheduled for a multi-leg journey, with the accident leg departing Rochester for Newark. As the crew prepared for departure, a severe thunderstorm was approaching the airport from the west-northwest. Despite the deteriorating weather, the crew initiated a takeoff on Runway 28. Shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft entered a zone of heavy rain and intense turbulence. The wind rapidly shifted from a headwind to a tailwind, significantly affecting the aircraft's lift and controllability. The investigation revealed that Captain Dennis and First Officer Neff were found in seats opposite to their assigned roles, with the co-pilot likely flying from the left seat, a violation of company policy. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted critical failures in Mohawk Airlines' dispatch operations; although the Mohawk Dispatch Office sent a teletype at 14:53 warning of severe weather, this information was not effectively communicated to the crew during their brief stop at Rochester. The aircraft lost altitude, and the left wing tip struck the ground, causing the Martin 4-0-4 to cartwheel wing-over-wing before coming to rest and catching fire. An airport mechanic, Dick Ziegler, was credited with saving a dozen lives by entering the burning wreckage to assist survivors.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) determined the probable cause was the pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff into a severe thunderstorm, resulting in a loss of control. Contributing factors included the heavy rain, shifting wind conditions, and the crew's inability to maintain control once the aircraft became airborne in the storm's path.
Video Analysis
News 8 Archives: Mohawk Airlines Crash of 1963 — Archival footage and retrospective on the 1963 crash at Rochester Airport, featuring an interview with a mechanic who rescued survivors from the burning wreckage.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
First Officer
Systems & Failure Modes
Left Seat Operation
Company policy required the Captain to occupy the left seat; however, the co-pilot was operating the aircraft from the left seat during the accident sequence.
Wing Structure
The left wing struck the ground first, initiating a cartwheel motion that led to the total destruction of the airframe.
Interesting Facts
- 01The co-pilot was flying the aircraft from the left seat, violating company policy.
- 02The wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind during the initial climb.
- 03Seven people were killed, including both pilots and five passengers.
- 0436 people survived the accident, many rescued by airport personnel.
- 05The aircraft had a total of 29,817 flight hours at the time of the crash.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Weather Dissemination Improvements
Source ↗The investigation led to a review of how airlines disseminate urgent weather information (SIGMETs) and amended forecasts to flight crews at intermediate stops to ensure they are aware of rapidly deteriorating conditions.