Zone
Texas

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in the Box Springs Mountains: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15109
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Madison – Amarillo – San Bernardino
MSN:
19575
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Box Springs
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew left Madison-Truax Field in the day bound for Amarillo to pick up four US Officers who have to fly to the Norton AFB located in San Bernardino. While approaching Norton AFB from the south at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the ground in the Box Springs Mountains. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of Douglas R4D-6 near Albuquerque: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
50771
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Phoenix – Amarillo
MSN:
14881/26326
YOM:
1944
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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:
While cruising by night, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 21 km southeast of Albuquerque. All 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Amarillo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1944 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
42-55974
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Amarillo - Monroe
MSN:
2435
YOM:
1943
Location:
Amarillo
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Amarillo Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed. All seven occupants were killed. Crew was on his way to Monroe and return for a night training exercise.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3B-202 DST in Albuquerque

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1938 at 0233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC17316
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Burbank – Winslow – Albuquerque – Amarillo – Wichita – Kansas City
MSN:
1931
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
TW410
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
495
Captain / Total hours on type:
134.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
942
Copilot / Total hours on type:
126
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, the crew encountered problems with the left engine that suffered severe vibrations and partially failed. At a height of a about 100 feet, the airplane rolled 5° to the left. The captain decided to return to the airport but realized this was impossible. He took the decision to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing in a field. While contacting the ground, the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Harold Hess, pilot,
Bronson White, copilot,
Olga C. Harbaugh, stewardess.
Probable cause:
Excessive vibration and loss of power, due to malfunctioning of left engine, consulting in insufficient speed to sustain the aircraft in flight. The cause of the malfunctioning of the left engine being undetermined, recommendations, which would tend to prevent similar accidents in the future, cannot be made at this time.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-33 in Clay Springs

Date & Time: May 7, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-33 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
36-81
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
San Diego – Amarillo
MSN:
1514
YOM:
1936
Location:
Clay Springs
Arizona
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from San Diego to Amarillo, the crew encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing in an isolated area located near Clay Springs, Arizona. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were slightly injured.
Crew:
Lt Cullen,
Lt Jones,
Lt Walsh.
Probable cause:
Engine problems in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 near Albuquerque

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1935 at 1255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13722
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Los Angeles – Albuquerque – Amarillo – Kansas City – Columbus – Pittsburgh – Newark
MSN:
1248
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
TW006
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Albuquerque Airport at 1231LT and climbed to 9,300 feet. While the crew was trying to change the fuel feed to the left auxiliary tank, the left engine failed. Shortly later, the right engine failed as well. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing. Unfortunately, the aircraft was cruising over a wooded area. It impacted trees and crashed in a rocky field located some 48 km east from Albuquerque. All 11 occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The failure of the engines was found to be due to the presence of a large amount of water in the 80 octane fuel with which the plane had been serviced at Albuquerque Airport. A check of the fuel storage system at Albuquerque disclosed that on 5,000 gallon underground tank contained about 200 gallons of water. After extensive tests, it was found that with a certain amount of water in the fuel pit, pumping fuel from the underground storage tank would cause water to syphen from the fuel pit into the tank through an air vent running between the two. On the afternoon of the preceding day there had been an unusual amount of rainfall which had flooded the concrete apron and filled the fuel pit with water.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion, of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was an abnormal amount of water in the left main fuel tank of the aircraft due to accidental entry of water into an underground fuel storage. The manner in which water got into this underground tank was very unusual and immediate steps were taken on all air lines to prevent a recurrence.

Crash of a Ford 5 on Mt Mesa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1933 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC9607
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Amarillo – Albuquerque
MSN:
5-AT-005
YOM:
1928
Location:
Mt Mesa
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While on a night flight from Amarillo to Albuquerque, weather conditions deteriorated with thunderstorm activity. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on the the south slope of Mt Mesa, south of Tucumcari. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild Pilgrim 100A in Dallas

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild Pilgrim 100A
Operator:
Registration:
NC732N
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Atlanta – Dallas – Amarillo – Los Angeles
MSN:
6612
YOM:
1931
Location:
Dallas-Fort Worth
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff run from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, the airplane caught fire for unknown reasons. The pilot was able to make an emergency stop and all three occupants escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Amarillo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC9650
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5-AT-037
YOM:
1929
Location:
Amarillo
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing the approach to Amarillo-English Field Airport in a reduced visibility due to heavy snow falls. Upon landing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, coming to rest upside down in a snow covered field. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4 in Mobeetie

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1932 at 0005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC942Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wichita – Amarillo
MSN:
6
YOM:
1931
Location:
Mobeetie
Texas
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 Wichita to Amarillo on a night cargo flight, weather conditions deteriorated and the pilot got lost. Due to fuel exhaustion, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted the embankment of a railway line and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion.
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