except for 300 feet of the northwest end and 200 feet of the southeast end, where the paving material was placed in parallel windrows about 30 inches high. The remaining 4100 feet of the runway had been completed except for the final seal coat. The ends of this usable part were properly marked by red lights and flags. On the uncompleted northeast—southwest runway there were four windrows of paving material, extending from the northeast end to the edge of the northwest—southeast runway, and one windrow extending from a point 285 feet from the southwest end of the runway to a point 150 foot from the intersection.
On April 27, 1942, the following warning was posted on the bulletin board in the flight office at both Minneapolis and Miles City: "Miles City, Montana, Miles City Airport. Use northwest-southeast strip only, caution, 250 both ends (repairs); men installing lights along edge; balance of field closned. Men and equipment on southeast edge of field, lighted, floodlights for northwest-southeast strip only." The Civil Aeronautics Administration "Weekly Notice to Airmen", dated May 7, 1942, carried the same warning. This warning was included in the airports condition report attached to Captain Shank's flight plan.
Weather Conditions
The weather conditions were satisfactory for flying in the vicinity of Miles City. The sky was overcoat with intermittent light rain and variable visibility. The United States Weather Bureau[1] report issued at the Miles City Airway Station indicated the following:
At 10:30 a.m. (MWT) ceiling 800 foot, overcast, lower scattered clouds at 400 feet, visibility 9 miles, light rain; wind east-northeast 17 m.p.h. At 11:30, the airway weather report was ceiling 800 feet, overcast, lower scattered
