Blossburg plane crash reaches 40-year mark Saturday

I remember hearing of the Blossburg crash involving Mohawk Flight 40 when it happened, though I was a thirteen year-old living in Hampton Va. back then.
I have since researched this particularly freaky accident, including reading the rather lengthy NTSB report. One thing that has bothered me during research about this are the various accounts stating that a no-return valve (same as a check valve) was installed backward. According to the NTSB report, this check valve, which was NOT associated with the fuel system at all, but rather with the engine high-pressure bleed air system, wore out and fell apart, allowing a backflow of high-pressure, high temperature bleed air from one of the two main engines to flow in the wrong direction through the auxiliary power unit. This resulted in excessive overheating of the bleed air ducts to the point of igniting acoustic insulation, which in turn burned through the hydraulic lines going to the critical flight control actuators of the rudder and horizontal stabilizer. Loss of pitch control and inflight breakup resulted from this.
I think it's terrific that you are remembering the tragic loss of those 34 people on June 23, 1967, but I just wanted to enlighten you more specifically to the exact cause.

my fahter was on that crash,, his name was dr. donald branson

My husband was the unidentified man who boarded the plane in Elmira, NY. His name was Dr. Donald Lee Branson and he was returning from a conference at Alfred University in Elmira, NY. He was not listed on the incomplete list of passengers that appears on another website. However, there was a reference to two unidentified people, and one of those was a man who boarded in Elmira. I am sure that he was that man. He was returning to St. Louis and was a professor at the University of Missouri at Rolla, Missouri. We had been married only 10 months and I was 5 months pregnant with our son, whose name appears in the entry above. This crash had a profound effect on my life as well as my son's. I relive my experience every time I hear of an airline crash and feel sympathy for every friend and relative of those who perish. My husband was a brilliant scientist in the field of Ceramic Engineering and, had he lived longer, would have accomplished much in that field in teaching as well as research.

I was at a picnic in Cazenovia with Bernie Bullock, the pilot's son when we found out about the crash. Just a few months earlier, Capt. Bullock gave a presentation at career night at our high school.

I would any photos related to the people and the plane crash. I have been researching it but cannot find the NTSB photos of the crash. I do have the cockpit audio print out. I agree with Chip's statement. I still believe the pilot once he realized there was a serious problem flew over the town and could only turn the plane around as it was coming down. Witnesses say the plane flew over the Island Park in BLossburg. For that to happen the plan had to flow over the town and turn to end up on east hill. I think the pilot saved more lives than lost. However, the heartache I thing about when I read about some of those on board. The president of Mohawk told reporters that it was sabbatoge. Email me at poorcartoonist@yahoo.com

I guess this is what is known as cathartic, but I was working for United Airlines in DCA and Judy Corey was a passenger agent for Mohawk. We were friends and I remember her telling me she was going home for a few days. I wished her safe travels and never saw her again. Judy was smart, articulate, and a good friend and I do think of her often. Miss you Judy.