- ACCIDENT DETAILS
Date: October 24, 1947
Time: 1229
Location: Bryce Canyon, Utah
Operator: United Air Lines
Flight #: 608
Route: Los Angeles - New York City
AC Type: Douglas DC-6
Registration: NC37510
cn / ln: 42875/17
Aboard: 53   (passengers:48  crew:5)
Fatalities: 53   (passengers:48  crew:5)
Ground: 0
Summary: Fire was reported on board the aircraft before it crashed. An almost identical accident with the same cause occurred on 11/11/47. The flight crew transferred fuel either intentionally or inadvertently from the No. 4 alternate tanks to the No. 3 alternate tanks and failed to stop the transfer process in time to avoid overflowing the No. 3 alternate tank. Gasoline flowed through the No. 3 alternate vent line, out the vent, and was carried back by the slip stream, entering the cabin heater combustion air intake scoop. When the cabin heater came on an explosion and fire occurred. The fire was fueled by magnesium flares strored in the cabin heater compartment. Caused by a design flaw in the aircraft which allowed vented fuel to be carried back into the cabin heater air intake.
Sources

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