American Airlines Flight 2
Encyclopedia
American Airlines Flight 2 was a Douglas
DC-3
that crashed into the Mississippi River
on February 10, 1944. All twenty-four passengers and crew were killed.
The ultimate cause of the crash of American Airlines Flight 2 remains a mystery.
and Memphis Municipal Airport
in Memphis, Tennessee
. The aircraft was a DC-3-277A
manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company
and operated by American Airlines
. The craft was five years old, having first entered service in 1939, and had accumulated a total of 12,446 hours of flight time at the time of the crash.
The plane departed Little Rock National Airport with three crew and twenty-one passengers on board. At 11:36 pm, approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) southwest of Memphis Municipal Airport, the DC-3 descended at an angle of 20 degrees, the right wing slightly low, and struck the Mississippi River. There was no abnormal radio contact prior to the crash. All twenty-four souls onboard perished.
of the accident. The report that was subsequently issued stated that the investigation would continue and a supplemental report would be issued as to their findings, but no such report was ever filed.
The ultimate cause of the crash of American Airlines Flight 2 remains a mystery.
-New York
(JFK) route.
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
that crashed into the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
on February 10, 1944. All twenty-four passengers and crew were killed.
The ultimate cause of the crash of American Airlines Flight 2 remains a mystery.
Flight and aircraft
Flight 2 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight between Little Rock National Airport in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
and Memphis Municipal Airport
Memphis Municipal Airport
Memphis Municipal Airport is a city-owned public use airport located one nautical mile northeast of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Hall County, Texas, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The aircraft was a DC-3-277A
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
and operated by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. The craft was five years old, having first entered service in 1939, and had accumulated a total of 12,446 hours of flight time at the time of the crash.
The plane departed Little Rock National Airport with three crew and twenty-one passengers on board. At 11:36 pm, approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) southwest of Memphis Municipal Airport, the DC-3 descended at an angle of 20 degrees, the right wing slightly low, and struck the Mississippi River. There was no abnormal radio contact prior to the crash. All twenty-four souls onboard perished.
Investigation
The Civil Aeronautics Board investigated the crash, but was unable to determine the probable causeProbable cause
In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which an officer or agent of the law has the grounds to make an arrest, to conduct a personal or property search, or to obtain a warrant for arrest, etc. when criminal charges are being considered. It is also used to refer to the...
of the accident. The report that was subsequently issued stated that the investigation would continue and a supplemental report would be issued as to their findings, but no such report was ever filed.
The ultimate cause of the crash of American Airlines Flight 2 remains a mystery.
Flight 2 today
As of October 2011, Flight 2 is now used on the Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(JFK) route.
See also
- American AirlinesAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
- American Airlines accidents and incidents
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft