Crash of a Douglas R2D-1 on Mother Grundy Peak: 11 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 4, 1941 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9622
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Webb AFB - North Island NAS
MSN:
1327
YOM:
1934
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Webb AFB in Big Spring, Texas, on a flight to North Island-Halsey Field NAS in San Diego, carrying seven passengers and a crew of four. While cruising at night, the crew encountered poor visibility when the airplane impacted the slope of the Mother Grundy Peak (3,068 feet high) located 45 km southeast of North Island NAS. The wreckage was found about 20 feet below the summit and all 11 occupants were killed, among them four crew members from the USN Catalina registered 2291 that crashed near Lamesa on January 2.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
