Cal Poly football team plane crash
C-46 similar to accident aircraft
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | October 29, 1960 |
| Summary | Pilot error; overloading |
| Site |
Toledo Express Airport, Ohio, U.S. 41°35′19″N 83°48′42″W / 41.5885°N 83.8118°WCoordinates: 41°35′19″N 83°48′42″W / 41.5885°N 83.8118°W |
| Passengers | 45 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 22 |
| Survivors | 26 |
| Aircraft type | Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando |
| Operator | Arctic Pacific |
| Registration | N1244N |
The Cal Poly football team C-46 crash occurred on October 29, 1960, at 22:02 EST near Toledo, Ohio.
A twin-engine C-46 propliner, registration N1244N, operated as a domestic charter flight by Arctic Pacific, carrying the Cal Poly Mustangs college football team, crashed during takeoff at the Toledo Express Airport, southwest of Toledo. The aircraft, a veteran of World War II, broke in two and caught fire on impact. Of the 48 on board, 22 were killed, including both pilots, 16 players, a student manager, and a Cal Poly football booster.
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigated the accident and concluded that the aircraft had been overloaded by 2,000 lb (910 kg) above its maximum certificated gross takeoff weight of 47,100 lb (21,360 kg) and that there was a partial power loss in the left engine prior to the crash.
Prior to takeoff the weather at the airport steadily deteriorated; at 7 pm the visibility was 3/4-mile (1.2 km), down to 1/16-mile (100 m) at 8:37 pm, and zero at the time of the accident. The CAB accident report states that stemming from the crash, the FAA published a notice in the Airman's Guide that prohibited takeoff for commercial aircraft when the visibility is below 1/4 mile (400 m), or the runway visual range is below 2,000 ft (600 m).
The CAB issued the following Probable Cause statement in its final report:
The accident was due to loss of control during a premature lift-off. Contributing factors were the overweight aircraft, weather conditions, and partial loss of power in the left engine.
The pilot who made the decision to take off was flying on a license that had been revoked, but was allowed to fly pending an appeal. Following the crash, the Arctic-Pacific Company lost its certificate to charter airplanes.
Among the survivors was quarterback Ted Tollner, later the head coach at USC and San Diego State. At the time of the crash, Bowling Green State had been the easternmost opposing school ever to play football against Cal Poly. The university canceled the final three games of the 1960 season.
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