Date & Time: Nov 4, 1940 at 0442 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC16086
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oakland – San Francisco – Sacramento – Reno – Elko – Salt Lake City
MSN:
1925
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
UA016
Location:
Centerville
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
16855
Captain / Total hours on type:
2160
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3341
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2500
Aircraft flight hours:
8694
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor visibility due to the night and snow falls, the aircraft impacted the slope of the Bountiful Peak located in the Wasatch Mountain Range, some five km northeast of Centerville. SAR arrived on the scene around 0900LT. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 10 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the foregoing findings of fact and upon all of the evidence available at this time, investigators find that the probable cause of the accident was the malfunctioning of the Salt Lake radio range and that substantial contributing factors to the accident were:
- The failure of the communications operators at Tintic, Plymouth, and Salt Lake City, Utah, whose duty it was to monitor the range, to detect its malfunctioning and immediately notify those concerned; and
- The failure of the pilot to follow to the fullest extent established radio range technique in accordance with the requirements of the procedure established by United and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Final Report:
NC16086.pdf9.57 MB