September 27, 1973: Texas International Airlines, Convair 600 (N94230) near Mena, AR

ACCIDENT SYNOPSIS:

On the evening of September 27, 1973, Texas International Airlines Flight 655, a Convair 600 (N94230) was operating as a scheduled flight between Memphis and Dallas along with stops in Pine Bluff, El Dorado, and Texarkana, Arkansas. While on the ground at El Dorado, the crew spoke with pilots at the Flight Service Station (FSS) and discussed the enroute weather to Texarkana. Of particular concern was a line of severe thunderstorms that extended between El Dorado and Texarkana. The examination of the weather indicated a possible break in the thunderstorms about 35 miles west-northwest of El Dorado.

Texas International Flight 655 departed El Dorado at 8:15 PM. Although cleared by dispatch for an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) trip, upon departure the crew contacted the FSS and informed the controller that the flight was proceeding visually to Texarkana. Instead of proceeding direct, the flight turned northwest and followed various headings for the next thirty minutes. At the controls of the flight was 37 year old William “Fred” Tumlinson acting as First Officer. Captain Ralph Crosman, age 41, was issuing heading and altitude directions as the flight progressed. In the back of the cabin tending to the eight passengers was 23 year old Flight Attendant Marilla Lotzer.

Handling both the aircraft and navigation charts, Tumlinson was now showing concern and began to question Crosman regarding the airplane's track and location. Tumlinson asking, "You got any idea where we're at?" "Yeah, two-sixteen’ll take us right to the VOR", replied Crosman and adding, "I'm not concerned with that, I could care less".

Twenty-seven minutes into the flight, Crosman ordered Tumlinson to make a turn to 290 degrees and a descent to 2,000 feet. Tumlinson said, "Man, I wish I knew where we were so we'd have some idea of the general terrain around this place". Crosman responded "I know what it is....That the highest point out here is about twelve hundred feet. The whole general area, and then we're not even where that is, I don't believe". Thirty seconds later, the plane began to receive the signal from the Page VOR (located in Oklahoma). "About a hundred and eighty degrees to Texarkana", said Crosman. "About a hundred and fifty-two", replied Tumlinson, consulting his charts. "Minimum enroute altitude here is forty-four hund....". At that moment Tumlinson’s statement was interrupted when the Convair collided with Black Fork Mountain, nearly one hundred miles north of Texarkana.

In total darkness and most likely in the clouds, the aircraft struck the mountain at 188 knots (207 miles per hour) disintegrating on impact. Of the eight passengers and three crewmembers, no one survived. The wing fuel tanks ruptured and most of the fuel vaporized leaving a small postcrash fire in the center wing section that burned itself out after a few hours.

The violence of the impact was followed by silence as the aircraft, based on the rules at the time was not required to have an Emergency Locator Transmitter to transmit a distress signal. Hours passed and no one knew what happened to Flight 655.

A search was initiated as soon as the aircraft was declared overdue. This search would ultimately involve personnel and aircraft of Texas International, the Army National Guard, and the Civil Air Patrol. In spite of these efforts, Flight 655 would not be found until three days after the crash. The search turned tragic on the first day, when a Arkansas National Guard UH-1D Huey from Camp Robinson crashed near Prescott, AR while enroute to the search area. The three crewmembers were killed.

***********************************************************************************************************************************

ACCIDENT SITE SUMMARY:

The crash site of Texas International Flight 655 lies on the north slope of Black Fork Mountain near the western border of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The crash site is within the boundaries of the Black Fork Wilderness Area of the Ouachita National Forest.

During my visit to the site, I accompanied Jeff and Jennifer Wilkinson. The Wilkinson’s have spent several years researching the historical aspects of the accident and locating people involved during the aftermath. The weather was overcast, but for an August visit temperatures were warm and humid as expected this time of the year in this part of the country.

I was surprised at the amount of aircraft wreckage still present at the site. The excessive amount of vegetation, much of it Poison Ivy covered the aircraft debris field. Some debris was hidden in the undergrowth, but a majority of the major components were accounted for at the site. Some components seen at the site were: portions of wing structure, tail section, portions of fuselage structure, both engines, landing gear, and both propeller assemblies. It was apparent that some portions of wreckage debris were removed from the site. These included: portions of the cockpit, portions of the fuselage, majority of passenger seats, and a total of four propeller blades unaccounted for. The severed tail section of the aircraft has evidence of vandalism due to gunfire.

During our visit, small amounts of wreckage debris was noted along the flight path of the aircraft as it struck the trees prior to impact with the mountain.