El Toro MCAS

The crew was engaged in a local training flight out from El Toro MCAS. After takeoff, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in the garden of the Saddleback College located about 8 miles southeast of the airfield. Four crew members were killed while two others were injured.

After touchdown at El Toro AFB, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames on the apron, less than 50 yards from 'Air Force One'. A crew member was killed while four others were injured.

The crew was completing a local training mission at El Toro MCAS. On approach by night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the right wing struck the top of ridge. The airplane crashed in the Harding Canyon located 7 miles northwest of the airbase. All seven crew members were killed.

The aircraft was on its way from McGuire AFB to Kadena, Okinawa, with intermediate stops at El Toro AFB and Hickam AFB, Honolulu. The departure from El Toro AFB was completed by night and marginal weather conditions. One minute after liftoff, during initial climb at an altitude of about 1,150 feet, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of the Loma Hill located three miles from the airfield. The aircraft struck the hill 150 feet below the summit and disintegrated on impact. None of 84 occupants survived the crash. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to low clouds, light drizzle and night.

The aircraft departed El Toro Airbase at 1030LT Bound for Alameda NAS on behalf of the Marine Transport Squadron 152. On board were United States Marines from Camp Pendleton en route to Hickam Field, and five crew members. While approaching his destination, the captain was instructed to follow a 30 minutes holding circuit. At 1342LT, while descending at an altitude of 3,500 feet in marginal weather conditions, the pilot started the approach when the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Sunol Ridge located about 21 miles southeast of Alameda Airbase. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 40 occupants have been killed. It was reported that the airplane hit the mountain about 200 feet below the summit.
Crew:
Maj Alexander Watson, pilot,
1st Lt Thomas E. Straughan, copilot,
M/Sgt Donald J. Down, navigator,
S/Sgt Terrell M. Young, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Harry E. Knight, radio operator.

On December 10, 1946, six Curtis Commando R5C transport planes carrying more than 200 U.S. Marines leave San Diego en route to Seattle. The aircraft, flying entirely by instruments at an altitude of 9,000 feet, encounter heavy weather over southwest Washington. Four turn back, landing at the Portland Airport; one manages to land safely in Seattle, but the sixth plane, carrying 32 Marines, vanishes. Search-and-rescue aircraft, hampered by continuing bad weather, are unable to fly for a week and ground searches prove fruitless. After two weeks, the search for the missing aircraft is suspended. The Navy determines that the aircraft was blown off course by high winds and flew into the side of Mount Rainier (14,410 feet). In July 1947, a ranger at Mount Rainier National Park spots wreckage on South Tahoma Glacier. Search parties examine the debris and confirm that it came from the missing plane. Four weeks later, the bodies are found high on the face of the glacier, but extremely hazardous conditions force authorities to abandon plans to remove them for burial. The 32 U.S. Marines remain entombed forever on Mount Rainier. In 1946, it was the worst accident, in numbers killed aboard an aircraft, in United States aviation history and remains Mount Rainier’s greatest tragedy.
Crew:
Maj Robert V. Reilly, pilot,
Lt Col Alben C. Robertson, copilot,
M/Sgt Wallace J. Slonina, crew chief.
Passengers:
M/Sgt Charles F. Criswell,
Pvt Duane R. Abbott,
Pvt Robert A. Anderson,
Pvt Joe E. Bainter,
Pvt Leslie R. Simmons Jr.,
Pvt Harry K. Skinner,
Pvt Lawrence E. Smith,
Pvt Buddy E. Snelling,
Pvt Bobby J. Stafford,
Pvt William D. St. Clair,
Pvt Walter J. Stewart,
Pvt John C. Stone,
Pvt Albert H. Stubblefield,
Pvt William R. Sullivan,
Pvt Chester E. Taube,
Pvt Harry L. Thompson Jr.,
Pvt Duane S. Thornton,
Pvt Keith K. Tisch,
Pvt Eldon D. Todd,
Pvt Richard P. Trego,
Pvt Charles W. Truby,
Pvt Harry R. Turner,
Pvt Ernesto R. Valdovin,
Pvt Gene L. Vremsak,
Pvt William E. Wadden,
Pvt Donald J. Walker,
Pvt Gilbert E. Watkins,
Pvt Duane E. White,
Pvt Louis A. Whitten.
Source:
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7820

Shortly after takeoff from El Toro MCAS, while climbing, the aircraft crashed for unknown reason. All three crew were killed.