Oakland

While cruising in reduced visibility, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 18 miles east of Salinas. All five occupants were killed, among them four sailors from the Naval Base at Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay.

The flight departed from its operating base, Burbank, California, for Oakland, California, at 0646, January, 1948. According to company instructions, the crew consisting of Francis Charles Atkinson, captain; Marion Harlow Ewing, first officer; and Mrs. Francis Charles Atkinson, stewardess, were to fly NC79055, which was certificated to carry 32 passengers, however, the crew made a mistake and departed in NC36480. This airplane was certificated to carry only 26 passengers and was 7 hours overdue for a 100-hour inspection at the time of departure from Burbank. Landing at Oakland was accomplished at 0849. The trip had been routine, and somewhere between Burbank and Oakland the pilot apparently realized that he was flying the wrong airplane for he requested his landing instructions from the Oakland tower with the appropriate airplane call numbers, 480. In Oakland, 28 Mexican Nationals and one United States Immigration official were enplaned for a flight to the Imperial County Airport, Imperial County, California. This flight was to be performed under a contract which the company had with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. Since NC36480 had accommodations for only 26 passengers, three of the 28 Mexican Nationals who boarded the aircraft were unable to be seated where they could be secured with safety belts. According to the statement of a United States Immigration official who assisted in the loading, three pieces of unsecured luggage were in the aisle at the time of take-off, and it as probable that the three passengers were seated on this luggage after the aircraft taxied from its parking area at the Oakland Airport for take-off. The remainder of the airplane load consisted of 375 gallons of fuel. Total weight was 67 pounds in excess of the maximum allowable. No flight plan was filed for the southbound trip since clear weather conditions prevailed over the route to the Imperial County Airport. Take-off was accomplished at approximately 0930. Before leaving the Oakland tower frequency Captain Atkinson received a message from his company, relayed through the tower, that he was to return directly to Burbank. His acknowledgment of this message was the last communication received from the flight. One hour and 35 minutes after the aircraft had departed from Oakland, it was observed over the vicinity of Coalinga, California, cruising at an estimated altitude of 5,000 feet above the ground. At this time a trail of white vapor or smoke, 150 to 200 feet long, was observed streaming from the left engine of the aircraft. Ten to 15 seconds later flames were seen flowing from the left engine over the wing and back to the empennage. Seconds later the left wing and the left engine dropped free from the rest of the aircraft; and the airplane fell out of control, crashed to the ground, and burst into flames.

The four engine Navy hospital plane was performing a flight from the Moffett AFB located near San Jose, California, to Oakland NAS with 14 patients and a crew of seven on board. The approach to Oakland NAS was completed in low visibility due to foggy conditions, via a GCA guidance system. On final, the aircraft was too low and hit an embankment. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off, the aircraft crash landed, skidded for about 1,000 feet and came to rest in flames. A passenger was killed while 20 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Enroute, the crew was informed that weather conditions in Cheyenne were poor and was rerouted to Laramie. Unfortunately, upon arrival, weather conditions were not so good with light snow and a visibility of two miles. The captain decided to attempt to land but was unable to locate the airport and passed over without seeing it. Shortly later, while at an altitude of 75 feet and in a left bank of 70°, the aircraft hit the ground with its left wing, crashed and burned. All 13 occupants were killed.

After takeoff from Oakland Airport, while climbing, the crew was instructed by ATC to maintain a minimum safe altitude of 3,000 feet or at least 500 feet above clouds. Shortly later, due to the deterioration of the weather conditions, the captain informed ground that he elected to return to Oakland Airfield. While completing a last turn to the right at an insufficient altitude, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops then crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Diablo located east of Walnut Creek. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and both occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was poor.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 27, while in initial climb by night and in marginal weather conditions, the pilot made a turn to the right when the right wing tip hit the water surface. The aircraft crashed into the Bay of San Francisco and none of the 24 occupants survived. The cloud ceiling was down to 500 feet at the time of the accident with a good visibility under the cloud layer.

On a flight from Oakland NAS, the crew was descending to Winslow Airport in light snow when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances some five miles south of Winona. Four passengers were injured while all 19 other occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 27 in Oakland Airport, while climbing, left engine failed. Right away, the pilot feathered the propeller and started a right turn when the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a house near the airport. All eight occupants were killed while nobody on the ground was injured.

En route, the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain located 4 miles east of Oakland, killing all nine crew members.

The crew was conducting a training exercise on behalf of the USAAF. While flying in the vicinity of the Oakland Municipal Airport, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reason. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed in flames and was destroyed by fire. Both occupants were injured.