Zone
California

Crash of a Martin M.130 China Clipper near Ukiah: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1943 at 0725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin M.130
Operator:
Registration:
NC14715
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Honolulu – San Francisco
MSN:
557
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
V1104
Location:
Ukiah
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Captain / Total flying hours:
4941
Copilot / Total flying hours:
694
Aircraft flight hours:
14628
Circumstances:
At the end of the night, while overflying the Pacific ocean off the Californian coast, the radio navigator contacted San Francisco ATC to inform about an estimated time of arrival at 0710LT, nearly three hours ahead the schedule. While approaching San Francisco from the north, by night and in poor weather conditions, at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the seaplane christened 'Philippine Clipper' hit the slope of a mountain located 7 miles southwest of Ukiah. Extensive emergency resources were dispatched to the scene where no survivors were found among the 19 occupants.
Crew:
Robert M. Elzcy, pilot,
G. F. Acbel, pilot,
Orven K. Judd, copilot,
L. A. Mackota, flight engineer,
J. J. Egan, flight engineer,
John Maynard, navigator,
C. P. Thompson, radio operator,
G. W. Angus, radio operator,
John Hill, steward.
Probable cause:
Failure of the captain to determine his position accurately before descending to a dangerously low altitude under extremely poor weather conditions during the hours of darkness.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 near Wanona: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1938 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13789
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Francisco – Winslow
MSN:
1299
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
TW008
Location:
Wawona
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
6878
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1621
Circumstances:
The airplane departed San Francisco Airport around 1930LT in good weather conditions. Two hours later, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew requested to ATC to divert to Los Angeles. At this time, storm activity and icing conditions were reported by the crew. Two minutes later, the aircraft crashed on Mt Buena Vista located in the Yosemite National Park, near Wawona. SAR operations were quickly initiated but later suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the nine occupants was found. Walkers found the wreckage on 12 June 1938.
Crew:
John D. Graves, pilot,
Clyde W. Wallace, copilot,
Martha Mae Wilson, stewardess.
Passengers:
Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Walts,
Victor Krause,
Tracy Dirlam,
Mary Louise Dirlam,
N. N. Salisbury.
Probable cause:
According to the US Bureau of Air Commerce, the pilot must have temporarily lost his bearings due to a change in the direction of the wind and a sharp increase in its velocity, unknown to him, leading to confusion as to his position relative to the Fresno radio range course. The subsequent crash occurred in darkness and, apparently, in an area of heavy snowfall. This resulted in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).

Crash of a Lockheed 12A Electra Junior in Reno: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 12 Electra Junior
Operator:
Adolph B. Spreckels
Registration:
NC18948
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Reno – San Francisco
MSN:
1242
YOM:
1938
Location:
Reno
Nevada
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Reno Airport. A passenger was killed and four other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-197 off San Francisco: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1937 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC16073
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Los Angeles – San Francisco – Oakland
MSN:
1913
YOM:
1936
Flight number:
UA023
Location:
San Francisco
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
On final approach to San Francisco Airport, the aircraft lost 400 feet in few seconds then nosed down and eventually crashed into the bay of San Francisco, some two miles short of runway. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. R. Thompson, pilot,
Joe De Cesaro, copilot,
Ruth Kimmel, stewardess.
Passengers:
John A. Orennan Sr.,
Gertrude Orennan,
Mark Fontana,
J. Franklin Gilmore,
Frank Margaroni,
Raker Meyers,
H. D. Friedlander,
Myron Loite.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was accidental jamming of the elevator controls as the result of a microphone being inadvertently dropped and lodging in such a position that the crew was unable to prevent rapid descent of the airplane.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 247D near Newhall: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1936 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13355
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oakland – San Francisco – Burbank
MSN:
1737
YOM:
1933
Flight number:
UA034
Location:
Newhall
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While descending to Burbank Airport in low visibility due to rain falls, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and lost its both wings. It continued for a hundred metres then collided with a stony wall and crashed in wooded and hilly terrain near Rice Canyon, two miles southwest of Newhall. All 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Edwin W. Blom, pilot,
Robert J. McLean, copilot,
Yvonne Trego, stewardess.
Passengers:
Mr. & Mrs. Edward T. Ford Jr.,
M. P. Harem,
John Korn,
A. L. Markwell,
W. A. Newton,
Alex Novak,
H. S. Teague,
Evelyn Valance.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was an error on the part of the pilot for attempting to fly through the Newhall pass at an altitude lower than the surrounding mountains without first determining by radio the existing weather.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega in Dos Palos

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1933 at 1750 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NR7805
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fresno – San Francisco
MSN:
28
YOM:
1928
Location:
Dos Palos
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Fresno to San Francisco, the engine failed. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a swamp. The pilot Donald McIntyre, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Bach 3-CT-4 Air Yacht in De Sabla

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Bach 3-CT Air Yacht
Operator:
Registration:
NC7658
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Portland – San Francisco
MSN:
4
YOM:
1928
Location:
De Sabla
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Portland to San Francisco, the crew encountered technical problems and elected to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in hilly and wooded terrain near De Sabla. All 8 occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical failure.

Crash of a Travel Air 4000B near Dunsmuir

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Travel Air 4000
Operator:
Registration:
NC12
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Portland – San Francisco
MSN:
1260
YOM:
1927
Location:
Dunsmuir
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot Arthur D. Starbuck was completing a mail flight from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco. While entering California, he encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to a snowstorm. He lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon in Shasta Springs, near Dunsmuir. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Snowstorm.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B off San Francisco

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1923
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
164
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
San Francisco - San Francisco
Location:
San Francisco
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Marina Field for a local test flight. The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to ditch the airplane in the San Francisco Bay. The pilot was rescued by the crew of a tugboat after an hour.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in San Francisco

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1921
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
153
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Marina - Sacramento
Location:
San Francisco
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Marina to Sacramento, while flying at an altitude of 2,000 over San Francisco in foggy conditions, the engine failed. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing and reduced his altitude when the airplane collided with the trolley wires and crashed in Gough Street, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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