STINSON SM-6000-B NC10840

SUNK IN THE CARIBBEAN

Table of Stinson SM-6000-B Registrations (Source: Link)

 

This airplane was a Stinson model SM-6000-B, S/N 5041. It was manufactured, inspected and approved for sale June 16, 1931 by the Stinson Aircraft Corporation, Wayne, MI. Called the "Model T," it was a large, high-winged, tri-motored monoplane. It was powered by three nine-cylinder Lycoming R-680 engines of 215HP each, giving it a cruise speed of about 115MPH. It was, for the time, a high-capacity passenger and freight carrying airplane. It was flown by a crew of one. I have no photographs of this airplane. If you can help, please let me KNOW.

At least 42 examples of the model were manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Corporation, Wayne, MI. In passenger configuration the Model T could seat 8-11 people and their baggage. This REFERENCE, volume 5, page 59, provided the table at right and states that the SM-6000-B's, "Excellent performance, inherent safety, and a compatible nature helped to promote the popularity and the longevity of the SM-6000-B, so we find that at least 25 examples were still flying actively in 1939, and some even for years afterwards." It could maintain an altitude of 6,000 feet with only two engines operating, even when fully loaded.

NC10840 appeared in the Grand Central Air Terminal (GCAT) Register at least 136 times between June and January 19, 1932. As a new airplane, it was a liner in the employ of Century-Pacific, Ltd. It wore Century-Pacific Ltd. livery and carried passengers, mail and freight along the west coast from San Diego to San Francisco. Century-Pacific was organized by Oxnard Field Register pilot E.L. Cord.

During 1932, Century-Pacific was absorbed into the workings of the American Airways sytem, thus American inherited some 24 SM-6000-Bs and other craft in the merger. American operated the Stinsons for about three years, then offered them for sale as used aircraft to the highest bidder. We can trace NC10840 through this series of exchanges, because, thanks to the generosity of a site visitor, we have the complete registration and airworthiness records for NC10840.

Regarding the registration information, below, NC10840 was sold as a new aircraft on June 17, 1931 to Century Pacific Air Lines of Chicago, IL. As delivered from the factory, the Lycoming radial engine serial numbers were 488 (center engine), 450 (right) and 489.

NC10840 had a normal life for a Golden Age airplane, meaning it worked hard and died young. Starting life as an airliner for two transport companies, it was sold to several individuals and a Caribbean airline. It sank in the ocean near the U.S. Virgin Islands at age fifteen. The paper trail comprising the chain of custody follows. First, the bill of sale.

Stinson SM-6000-B NC10840, Bill of Sale, June 17, 1931 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

Stinson NC10840 Registration Card, June, 1931 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

Registration was applied for on June 16, 1931 and approved to carry ten passengers. The first registration card is at left, with an expiration date twelve months later. By law this card had to be carried in the airplane at all times, along with specified weight placards for passengers and baggage.

As of 1932, Century-Pacific operated thirteen Stinson Model SM-6000-B aircraft, of which nine were recorded in the GCAT Register during 1931. They were NC10810, NC10813, NC10814, NC10840, NC10843, NC10844, NC10845, NC10846 and NC10847.

Frustratingly, no pilot information was noted in the Register by tower Operator A.J. Lygum or others that allowed us to associate particular pilots with any given flights by NC10840 or any of the other Century-Pacific Stinsons.

A three-page letter, below, from the Department of Commerce (DOC) dated February 25, 1932 clarified the registration currency of Century Pacific's airplanes (plus two Stinson Juniors used by the air line). Of real interest in this letter is a listing of the pilots employed (either full-time or part-time?) by Century-Pacific.

Only one of these fourteen listed pilots appeared by name in the GCAT Register. He was Harold Sweet who was recorded nearly 200 times giving scenic recreational rides in the Ford trimotor NC5577. This activity was completely unrelated to Century-Pacific business.

DOC Letter to Century-Pacific Lines, Ltd., February 25, 1932 (Source: Site Visitor)

Some of the other pilots appeared in other Registers. For example, James L. Giffin appeared in the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register on November 14, 1931 flying the Stinson Jr. NC10866 operated by Century-Pacific. And Walton H. Smiley landed at Tucson November 16, 1931 flying the SM-6000-B NC10847. In addition, NC10872 and NC10893 were Register airplanes, visiting the Davis-Monthan Airfield on August 18, 1931, and between September 4 and 9, 1931, respectively.

DOC Letter to Century-Pacific Lines, Ltd., February 25, 1932 (Source: Site Visitor)

Likewise, Blackmore, Joseph Plosser, Williams, Muncie, Medler, Ben Catlin, Glennan, Robert Cantwell, and Erickson were signed in one or more Registers, some flying the Century-Pacific airliners.

DOC Letter to Century-Pacific Lines, Ltd., February 25, 1932 (Source: Site Visitor)

NC10840 was transferred to American Airways, Inc. as of March 31, 1932. A DOC memorandum was entered into the aircraft's records on May 2, 1932, below, which summarized the transfers of fourteen Century Pacific Stinsons to American Airways. The maintenance records for the airplane show that American performed a thorough weight & balance calculation on NC10840 on July 9, 1932.

DOC Transfer Memo, May 2, 1932 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

DOC Transfer Memo, May 2, 1932 (Source: Site Visitor)

NC10840 was moved to Love Field, Dallas, TX with American Airways and operated there successfully through at least July, 1933. On April 16, 1935, NC10840 was transferred to Monarch Air Service, Chicago, IL. The official transfer document is below.

American to Monarch Air Service Transfer, April 16, 1935 (Source: Site Visitor)

A lien was held by American Airways against the airplane. The records show that lien was released August 28, 1935.

American to Monarch Air Service Transfer, April 16, 1935 (Source: Site Visitor)

Almost simultaneous with the lifting of the lien, the license of NC10840 was also lifted as described in the following DOC letter of August 22, 1935. Although dirt itself is not a basis for grounding an aircraft, the fact that the records were not up to date is a violation of regulations. Note, too, that two pilots had their pilot licenses and a mechanic's license suspended for flying the airplanes for hire while knowing they were not in unairworthy condition.

DOC Action Letter, NC10840, August 22, 1935 (Source: Site Visitor)

Another letter in the airplane's file shows that Hindert's mechanic license was later revoked effective August 17, 1935 because of his demonstrated incompetence in maintaining NC10840 and the other two aircraft (neither Register aircraft), and allowing them to fly in an unairworthy condition. Another letter dated September 19, 1935 reported the suspension of pilot Pierce O'Carroll's pilot license for a period of thirty days effective September 15, 1935.

While all this was happening in the aftermath of the grounding of NC10840, the airplane was sold again to Mary Jane Seaman, president, on behalf of her company, the Georgia Flying Service of Atlanta, GA, as documented in the following bill of sale. At some point the engines had been changed. The agreed price was $2,200 at Chicago, IL.

Stinson NC10840 Bill of Sale, September 13, 1935 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

Stinson NC10840, Registration Exp. July 15, 1939 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

Then began a brisk series of changes in ownership. The airplane was then registered in the name of Georgia Flying Service to expire May 1, 1936. On July 1, 1936, NC10840 was transferred to Russell L. West of Waycross, GA, an individual with private pilot license 25892. It was registered in his name. On December 2, 1936, West transferred the airplane to Atlantic & Gulf Coast Airlines, Inc., Savannah, GA.

In July, 1938 the airlines performed major repairs and refurbishments on NC10840. These are summarized below.

Stinson NC10840, Major Repairs, July, 1938 (Source: Site Visitor)

 

The repairs performed above were probably in anticipation of selling the airplane. Atlantic & Gulf Coast Airlines transferred the airplane to Dennis Powelson (Commercial pilot certificate 20588) of Mercedita, Puerto Rico, and he applied for registration on August 25, 1938 to expire July 15, 1939. A maintenance report of August 2, 1939 showed the airplane had accumulated 4,215 flight hours. Powelson's registration is above, right. The airplane was now in Puerto Rico flying daily for Caribbean & Atlantic Airlines out of Ponce on the south coast. Although not specified in the airplane's records, Powelson was the president of the airline.

Interestingly, the 1940 U.S. Census placed Powelson living with his wife, both age 32, in Santurce, PR with two servants in a home rented for $55 per month. He had been living in Santurce since at least 1935.

A bill of sale dated April 30, 1940 documented the transfer of NC10840 from Powelson to Caribbean & Atlantic. Indeed, Powelson signed the document as both seller and buyer! At about the same time, Powelson and Caribbean & Atlantic assumed ownership of NC10814, linked above. By 1945 Powelson was the majority stockholder in, and president of, Caribbean-Atlantic Airlines, Inc.

NC10840 was then re-registered under the airline's name on April 30, 1940 to expire August 15, 1940, then September 15, 1941. It had accumulated 4,468 total flight hours. The last airworthiness certificate I examined for the airplane was dated July 19, 1941. There was no registration record for the airplane during WWII.

The next document in the record was a two-page form requesting permission to fly the airplane over three days from Puerto Rico to Barranquilla, Colombia, below. The sole pilot and navigator would be Powelson, and he was to carry a mechanic. Note that a radio was installed.

Stinson NC10840, Flight Authorization, August 15, 1945 (Source: Site Visitor)

Note the route of flight and the justification that the over-water portions of the voyage would be no longer than those flown routinely over the airline's routes since 1938. The purpose of this flight, according to the records, was for the sale of the aircraft in Colombia.

Stinson NC10840, Flight Authorization, August 15, 1945 (Source: Site Visitor)

The best laid plans, however, are destined to be foiled by bureaucracy. It seems that an export license was required for the airplane before it could be moved, as well as official permissions to land at some of the countries and fields along the route. In the end, the trip was delayed by these bureaucratic requirements and the airplane was not flown to Colombia. Rather it was sold in August, 1945 to Eugene H. Bell of San Juan, PR.

The next entry in the record was a letter from the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) dated April 7, 1948 that reminded Bell that he had the legal obligation to register the airplane and have it inspected before he flew it. Bell responded on April 19th with the letter below.

Eugene Bell Letter to CAA, April 19, 1948 (Source: Site Visitor)

Thus we discover the fates of both NC10814 and NC10840.

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