Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 421
A Martin 2-0-2, similar to the accident aircraft | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 August 1948 |
| Summary | Structural failure |
| Site | Fountain City, Wisconsin, 4.1 mi (6.6 km) NW of Winona, Minnesota 44°06′48″N 91°41′34″W / 44.11333°N 91.69278°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Martin 2-0-2 |
| Aircraft name | Martin |
| Operator | Northwest Orient Airlines |
| Registration | NC93044 |
| Flight origin | Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois |
| Destination | Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota |
| Occupants | 37 |
| Passengers | 33 |
| Crew | 4 |
| Fatalities | 37 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 421 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Chicago, Illinois to Minneapolis, Minnesota that crashed on 29 August 1948. The Martin 2-0-2 aircraft, operated by Northwest Orient Airlines, suffered structural failure in its left wing and crashed approximately 4.1 miles (6.6 km) northwest of Winona, Minnesota, about 95 miles (153 km) southeast of Minneapolis. A Civil Aeronautics Board investigation determined that the crash was caused by fatigue cracks in the wings of the aircraft, and recommended lower speeds and frequent inspections of all Martin 2-0-2 aircraft. All 33 passengers and 4 crewmembers on board were killed. The crash was the first loss of a Martin 2-0-2, and remains the worst accident involving a Martin 2-0-2, as well as the worst aviation accident in Wisconsin.