Capital Airlines Flight 67
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| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 6, 1958 |
| Type | Stall, loss of control |
| Site | Saginaw Bay near Freeland, Michigan |
| Fatalities | 47 |
| Injuries | No survivors |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Vickers 745D Viscount |
| Operator | Capital Airlines |
| Tail number | N7437 |
| Passengers | 44 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Capital Airlines Flight 67 was a Capital Airlines flight that crashed on final approach to Freeland, Michigan during a severe snowstorm on April 6, 1958. The flight was en route from Flint-Bishop Airport to the Freeland-Tri City Airport when it crashed. Flight 67 was the first of three fatal crashes in as many years involving Capital Airlines Vickers Viscounts; the other two were Capital Airlines Flight 20 and Capital Airlines Flight 75.
Approach conditions towards Freeland were poor due to the weather; there was restricted visibility, and conditions were ripe for icing. The plane's crew apparently attempted a steep turn to align the craft with the runway. This caused the plane to stall, which was followed by an over-the-top spin. The crew could not regain control, leading to the crash of the plane.
The official cause of the crash was listed as an undetected buildup of ice on the horizontal stabilizer which, coupled with airspeed and the design of the aircraft, caused it to lose control.
A memorial to the victims was unveiled in a local cemetery in 2001.
