I have watched a DC-4 (C-54), perhaps this one, takeoff from Fairbanks on a very cold winter morning. The rate of climb on the downwind departure leg was close to zero. I doubt it could have maintained altitude on three engines.
What happened before the explosion, and the decisions that were made before the explosion, may be far more important that the explosion itself. Unfortunately, I doubt we will ever know.
While researching accidents following loss of an engine I came across a very interesting and informative video. For some reason, when I post a URL, pprune says "video is not available". It should be possible to find it with a search for "Airplane Accidents after Engine Failure - Real Value of Vmc". Perhaps the most important part is the discussion of the effect of bank angle on Vmca. The slope of the plot of Vmca vs bank angle is worth particular attention.
Well worth watching for pilots who are multi-engine rated. Probably a waste of time for non-pilots who already know the cause of this accident.
Last edited by EXDAC; 30th Apr 2024 at 22:27.