Northwest had been the first United States airline to take delivery of the Super Electra , but sold most of its remaining Electra fleet in 1939 after three subsequent accidents called the airworthiness and commercial potential of the aircraft into question . One Electra crashed in California while in the process of being delivered to the airline . The second , Flight 4 , crashed in Billings , Montana after the pilot stalled the aircraft on takeoff . The third , Flight 1 , crashed near Miles City , Montana after a design and manufacturing error allowed an intense fire to develop in the cockpit
Flight 1
Northwest Airlines Flight 1
Northwest Airlines Flight 2