AZO From United States of America, joined Jun 2002, 765 posts, RR: 1 Posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 4030 times:
I had never heard of this one, but in Monday's Kalamazoo Gazette there will be a special article about the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. From looking it up, I have found that it was a DC-4 flying from New York City to Minneapolis. The plane was lost on June 27, 1950 off the coast of South Haven, Michigan (just under 40 miles West of Kalamazoo) with 58 people on board.
I will try to post a link to the story tomorrow, but I work until 10pm and the newspaper is not published until the afternoon so I will not be able to do it in the morning. If someone else wants to grab it here first, by all means go ahead.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3997 times:
I knew that United lost a 727 into Lake Michigan back in the 1960s or 1970s, but never heard about the NW flight. Looking forward to the story when it's available..
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3993 times:
Jerion From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 253 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3868 times:
I knew that United lost a 727 into Lake Michigan back in the 1960s or 1970s, but never heard about the NW flight. Looking forward to the story when it's available..
I remember reading about this when I was very young. Did they ever find out what caused that crash? Did they descend too quickly? Did the altimeter give them incorrect information?
Weren't there a few other 727 crashes in the mid to late 60's that were blamed for excessive sink rate?
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 4, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3856 times:
Bobs89irocz From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 632 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3737 times:
EMBQA- Thanks for the link but it really doesnt tell us why it crashed.....sucks for all those people (30 sob). Its like the thing just fell out of the air.
Tjwgrr From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 2297 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 3594 times:
The Grand Rapids Press had an extensive article about this accident in the Sunday, June 20, 2004 paper. I checked the archives, and since it's beyond two weeks, a fee is required to purchase the entire story. Since I've read it, I don't need to spend the $2.00.
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Into thin air ; Decades later, lake still holds clues about Flight 2501:[All Editions]
Pat Shellenbarger / The Grand Rapids Press. The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Jun 20, 2004. pg. J.1
Companies: Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, Northwest Airlines Inc(Ticker:NWA, NAICS: 481111, Duns:00-696-3508 )
Section: Flair
Text Word Count 1466
Abstract (Article Summary)
This one obviously was larger, and it was coming close to her South Haven home. [Jacqueline Eldred] listened as the sound of its engines increased, then stopped, and she pulled the sheet over her head, fearing the plane would hit the house. Then the engines restarted, and, as the sound faded into the distance over Lake Michigan, she heard a loud boom, then silence.
[Craig ...
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Here's a link to the search engine if anyone's interested- type "Into Thin Air" which was the name of the article:
Quite an interesting article- some group hopes to locate the wreckage with high tech equipment. I'm sure major components (engines) would still be somewhat intact. The article had interviews of people that heard the low flying DC-4 overhead, heard a loud thud, then silence.
Direct KNOBS, maintain 2700' until established on the localizer, cleared ILS runway 26 left approach.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 3570 times:
>>>Weren't there a few other 727 crashes in the mid to late 60's that were blamed for excessive sink rate?
There were at least a couple that I recall. I grew up in Cincinnati and someone (AA, I think) lost one on approach into CVG in the 1960s. United also had one hit the runway and slide/burn at SLC.
The United 727 into Lake Michigan could have theoretically involved the same sink rate factors (of the then-new aircraft type) with maybe some of the factors from the 1970s National Airlines 727 crash offshore from PNS (both night approach/descents over water). United also lost a 727 offshore of LAX (loss of electrical power/horizon info, IIRC), so that's a possibility too I reckon.
Someone once told me that this United LAX accident was the instigator of having independently-power standby attitude indicators as a requirement, and while I don't know that for sure, it makes sense.
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (8 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 3562 times:
Thanks for the link but it really doesnt tell us why it crashed.......
Did you click on the pdf link...? It takes you to the 45 page NTSB Report. But in general, they really don't know why.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
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From United States of America, joined Jun 2002, 765 posts, 
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