1931 Transcontinental & Western Air Fokker F-10 crash
NC999E, the aircraft involved in the accident, in front of the control tower of Alhambra Airport, in March 1930 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | March 31, 1931 |
| Summary | Structural failure |
| Site | Bazaar Township, Chase County, Kansas, U.S. 38°14′09″N 96°35′12″W / 38.23583°N 96.58667°W |
| Aircraft type | Fokker F-10 |
| Operator | Transcontinental and Western Air |
| Registration | NC999E |
| Flight origin | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Stopover | Wichita, Kansas |
| Destination | Los Angeles, California |
| Passengers | 6 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 8 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On March 31, 1931, a Fokker F-10 belonging to Transcontinental and Western Air crashed near Bazaar, Kansas after taking off from Kansas City Municipal Airport, Kansas City, Missouri.
The scheduled flight was from Kansas City to Los Angeles, with a stopover in Wichita. On this first leg, the wooden structure of one wing failed, causing the plane to crash, killing all eight people on board, including Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne.
The investigation found that the wooden wing became moist over time, causing the glue connecting the wing to the fuselage to weaken, allowing the wing to separate. The crash brought about significant changes in airplane safety and the airplane industry. The death of Rockne and the crash's effect on the public perception of the safety of aircraft contributed to its cultural significance.