# NTSB DCA69A0015: Douglas DC3A, N142D, New Orleans, LA, March 20, 1969

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 20, 1969
- Place: New Orleans, LA · NEW ORLEANS, LA
- Location: 29.9546° N, 90.0751° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of New Orleans, LA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9546&lon=-90.0751&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 16 fatal, 6 serious, 5 minor
- Status: Completed, report February 26, 1970
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 79679
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA69A0015
- Board report AAR7003 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7003.pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA69A0015

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1280  69/3/20    NEW ORLEANS,LA      DOUGLAS DC3A        CR-  3  0  0  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 0655                    N142D               PX- 13  6  5  CTR PASSG-I               50, 15300 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            1600 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - MOISANT
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MEMPHIS,TENN                NEW ORLEANS,LA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           HARD LANDING                                             LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                LANDING: MISSED APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISUNDERSTANDING OF ORDERS OR INSTRUCTIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXERCISED POOR JUDGMENT
           PILOT IN COMMAND - DELAYED IN INITIATING GO-AROUND
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - CREW COORDINATION-POOR
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - PILOT FATIGUE
        FACTOR(S)
          MISC-CONTROLLING REGULATIONS NOT CLEAR.
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN                                                    100
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                         NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  RELATIVE BEARING OF WIND
          FOG                                                      CALM
        TEMPERATURE-F                                            TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           53                                                      BELOW MINIMUMS
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- DSCNDED BLO APCH MINIMA.MISUNDERSTOOD APCH CTLER
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N142D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N142D-2010-12-01), registration cancelled 2010-12-01, S/N 1946, built 1937 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUGLAS DC3A
- Registry model: [Douglas DC3A-S4C4G](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc3a-s4c4g) (registry code 3021454) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1830 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1830-series) (registry code 52020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Moisant

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.