Zone
California

Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou off Farallon Islands

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1971
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
Operator:
Registration:
62-4173
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
112
YOM:
1963
Location:
Farallon Islands
California
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 to McClellan AFB near Sacramento, the crew encountered unknown technical problems. The captain decided to ditch the aircraft near the Farallon Islands, some 30 miles west of San Francisco. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical problems.

Crash of a Douglas RD-4 Dolphin off Farallon Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1941 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas Dolphin
Operator:
Registration:
V126
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1269
Location:
Farallon Islands
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight off California. While cruising at low height in poor visibility due to fog, the floatplane names 'Mizar' hit a rock near the Farallon Island and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
AMM1 Leonard L. Stonerock,
RM1 John C. Gill,
AMM1 Fleet D. Hancock.
Source & photo: http://www.jacksjoint.com/Farallons_Tragedy.htm
Probable cause:
Initial investigation concluded that the probable cause of the crash was that the plane, while flying low to avoid the fog, struck a rock pinnacle on the southeast Farallon causing the aircraft to burst into flames.
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