Crash of a Boeing 247D in San Luis Potosí: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1945 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
XA-DUY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mexico City – San Luis Potosí – Torréon – Nogales
MSN:
1723
YOM:
1933
Location:
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While on approach to San Luis Potosí, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. All 12 occupants were killed. It was said that the accident may have been caused by an engine failure but this was not confirmed by authorities.

Crash of a Boeing 247 in Medellin

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
C-146
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1708
Location:
Medellín
Antioquia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed near Medellin following an engine failure. No casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing 247D near La Esperanza: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
C-144
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
1949
YOM:
1935
Location:
La Esperanza
Caldas
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft christened 'Rodrigo de Bastidas' hit a mountain located 7 km from La Esperanza, north of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Charleston

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1941 at 1633 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13359
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Knoxville – Bristol – Charleston – Clarksburg – Pittsburgh
MSN:
1741
YOM:
1932
Flight number:
PCA143
Location:
Charleston
West Virginia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2327
Captain / Total hours on type:
947.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1474
Copilot / Total hours on type:
212
Aircraft flight hours:
14866
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Charleston Airport, while climbing, the right engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a wooded area located near the airport. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. There was no fire.
Crew:
Russell J. Wright, captain,
William H. Riley, first officer,
Irene Coates, flight stewardess.
Probable cause:
Loss of power in the right engine due to causes unknown.
Contributing factors were:
- Failure of PCA to establish adequate procedures to require its pilots to be familiar with the terrain surrounding airports, and failure of Captain Wright to familiarize himself adequately with the terrain surrounding the Charleston Municipal Airport.
- Failure of PCA to inform its pilots of the amount of power which could reasonably be taken from Pratt and Whitney Wasp S1H1-G engines under emergency conditions, and the consequent hesitancy of Captain Wright to exercise his emergency authority and use additional power soon enough to clear the ridge.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Tona: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1940 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
C-79
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogota – Bucaramanga – Cúcuta
YOM:
1937
Location:
Tona
Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot failed to realize he was flying too low. The twin engine aircraft named 'Quesada' impacted the slope of a mountain located near Tona, northeast of Bucaramanga. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Manzanares: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1939 at 1345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
C-149
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Barranquilla – Barrancabermeja – Honda – Bogotá
Location:
Manzanares
Caldas
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft named 'Antonio de Ollala' was performing a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá with intermediate stops in Barrancabermeja and Honda. The aircraft departed Barrancabermeja at 1240LT and was scheduled to land in Honda at 1350LT. On approach, the aircraft went out of control and crashed for unknown reason in Manzanares, west of Honda. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Samuel Zerda, pilot,
Ulrich Schneider, copilot and radio operator.
Passengers:
Roberto Blanco,
Barbarita Rodriguez de Blanco,
Margot Blanco Rodriguez,
R. F. Beaujon,
Gerard Frobel,
Mr. Lozano.

Crash of a Boeing 247 in Hanover

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
D-AKIN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hanovre - Rechlin
MSN:
1944
YOM:
1935
Location:
Hanover
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (two pilots and one engineer) departed Hanover-Vahrenwald Airport on a test flight to Rechlin-Lärz Airfield. The purpose of the flight was to test an experimental autopilot system. The twin engine aircraft crashed while taking off and was damaged beyond repair. All three occupants were injured.

Crash of a Boeing 247D near Newhall: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1937 at 1107 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13315
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Salt Lake City – Las Vegas – Burbank – Long Beach – San Diego
MSN:
1696
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
WX007
Location:
Newhall
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Passing over Saugus at 5,200 feet, the aircraft was already 300 feet below the minimum prescribed altitude. The pilot elected to contact ATC without any success. Due to low visibility caused by foggy conditions, the pilot failed to realize he was flying at an insufficient altitude. With a rate of descent of 525 feet per minute, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of the Pinetos Peak located near Newhall. The copilot and four passengers, among them the explorer Martin Johnson, were killed.
Crew:
William W. Lewis, pilot,
Clifford P. Owens, copilot, †
Esther Jo Connor, stewardess.
Passengers:
James Braden, †
Martin Johnson, †
Osa Johnson,
A. L. Loomis, †
E. E. Spencer, †
Arthur Robinson,
R. T. Andersen,
H. H. Hulse,
Lita James,
T. E. Tillinghast.
Probable cause:
Summarizing, therefore, it is evident that several factors gave rise to this accident. Advance notification to the control tower at Burbank, either by the pilot or company personnel, would have assured continuous localizer operation, available to the pilot when needed. Continuing down the Saugus range for two minutes before switching to the Burbank localizer, as prescribed by the company, would have kept the pilot on course for at least two minutes longer and the danger of colliding with the mountains would have been reduced by that much. However, the Saugus range was in continuous operation and it is not understood why the pilot did not immediately switch back to this range when he discovered that the Burbank frequency was busy with voice transmission. This would have definitely guided him through the high mountains or until he had requested and received continuous operation of the Burbank range. Likewise, it is not understood why the pilot continued in descending flight without the aid of range guidance. It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was error on the part of the pilot for descending to a dangerously low altitude without positive knowledge of his position.
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 Boeing 247D on Lone Peak: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1936 at 0314 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13370
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Burbank – Las Vegas – Salt Lake City
MSN:
1957
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
WX006
Location:
Lone Peak
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching Salt Lake City Airport at night and in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to fix his real position and was unaware that the aircraft deviated from the approach path to the east. While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet at a speed of 207 miles an hour, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of Lone Peak (11,253 feet high) located some 20 miles southeast of the airport. SAR teams were unable to locate the aircraft and all operations were suspended few days later. The wreckage was eventually found on July 4, 1937.
Crew:
S. J. Samson, pilot,
William L. Bogan, copilot,
Gladys Witt, stewardess.
Passengers:
C. Christopher,
Mr. & Mrs. John Wolf,
E. W. Edwards.
Probable cause:
It was established that during the approach to Salt Lake City, the flight encountered snow static which rendered the aircraft's navigation receivers inoperative. Without a definite course to follow, the flight drifted east into mountainous terrain. It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of the accident was inability of the pilots to identify the south leg of the Salt Lake Radio Range due to a local static condition which rendered both range receivers in the airplane inoperative.
Final Report:
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