1956 Crane Corporation Lockheed PV-1 crash
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The 1956 crane corporation Lockheed PV-1 crash was a civil aircraft crash at Jeffersonville, Indiana on 15 May 1956, killing all six passengers and two crew-members onboard. Aircraft History Lockheed PV-1 N64001 was originally built as a military aircraft, and was converted to civilian use in June 1949. The Columbia-Geneva Steel Corporation used the aircraft until March 1956, when it was purchased by the Chicago-based Crane Corporation. Flight On May 15, 1956, at approximately 9:08am, the aircraft departed Chicago O'Hare International Airport en route to Louisville, Kentucky with two pilots and six Crane Corporation executives onboard. Having departed O'Hare on a VFR flight plan, at approximately 10:00am, while flying near Indianapolis, Indiana, the pilot requested to switch to an IFR flight plan; this request was approved. The pilot also made routine contact with controllers at Lafayette, Indiana and in Louisville prior to the crash, and reported nothing out of the ordinary. Crash At approximately 10:34am, the pilot reported that they were beginning final approach to Standiford Field. Shortly thereafter, a witness who was a licensed private pilot contacted police, advising them of an aircraft that appeared to be in distress, and circling for an emergency landing. At approximately 10:38am, the aircraft crashed in farmland approximately four miles east of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Both pilots and all six passengers were killed in the crash. Investigation The Civil Aeronautics Board determined that the cause of the crash was a "critical loss of altitude" due to a total loss of power in the left engine resulting from a disconnected carburetor control. According to the accident report, Mulherin, the pilot, did not have significant experience with the Lockheed PV-1, but did note that both he and Robinette were properly certified.
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