Crash Site: Eastern Airlines Flight 21 (1941)

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Eastern Airlines Flight 21, night of February 26, 1941. Sometimes called the “Rickenbacker Crash” due to the presence of Eastern Airlines President and former WWI ace Eddie Rickenbacker on board. Eastern DC-3 (NC28394) crashed during inclement weather after controlled flight into terrain while shooting an instrument approach into Candler Field (current ATL). Of 25 total passengers and crew, there were 16 fatalities and 9 injured (including Rickenbacker).

Broadly speaking, the instrument approach for the day called for an overflight of the radio beacon at the airport at a specific altitude on the reciprocal runway heading for 5 minutes, then execute a procedure 180 degree turn to the runway heading, then proceed inbound to the airport while gradually descending to the runway. Shortly after performing the procedure turn the aircraft struck the tops of pine trees, and then crashed heavily into a ravine beyond, totally destroying the aircraft. Due to the (then) remote location, rescue crews did not arrive until daylight.

CAB investigation concluded that the crash was caused by pilot error due to the misuse of altimeter settings by the pilot and copilot. In other words, the aircraft was much lower throughout the approach than the flight crew thought they were.

PLEASE NOTE: Contemporary news accounts of this crash are aggravatingly vague as to its precise location. Most accounts describe it as “down a dirt road off Highway 54 north of Jonesboro.” The CAB report is likewise silent on the exact location. This tag is placed on what I could glean from the two sources noted above, plus the recollections of an old-timer I spoke with from the area who recalls the crash. Many roads have been added and/or realigned in the area since the crash. If someone has the precise lat/long, please feel free to move this tag.

dotlibrary1.specialcollection.net/scripts/ws.dll?websea...

planecrashinfo.com/1941/1941-6.htm
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Air_Lines_Flight_21
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   33°35'49"N   84°20'50"W

Comments

  • Remove Site as Reynolds Nature Preserve, this is not an accurate location. The CAB Report specifically states the site is 7 miles SE of Candler Field. Reynolds is only 4.6 miles from Candler. Measured from the end of the NW-SE runway. Approximate site is I-75 North between Mt. Zion Rd and GA Hwy 54, If one follows the actual map and directions in the CAB Report and the attached diagram in the report. 2 miles south/southeast on direct heading from the southeast-northwest runway to the radio range beacon then 135 degrees southeast for 5 miles to the crash site, which is 7 miles southeast of Candler Field.
  • The map shown is not the correct location.
This article was last modified 13 years ago