San Diego

The crew was performing a flight from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, to San Diego. While cruising by night at an altitude of 11,000 feet, one of the engine failed. All six crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed on the slope of the Towne Peak (7,287 feet high) located in the Dolomite canyon, in the Death Valley, about seven miles northeast of Panamint Springs. All six occupants were found unarmed while the aircraft was destroyed. It was later reported that the remaining engine was running normally at impact.

Enroute to San Diego, the seaplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean, off Baja California, Mexico. Two crew members were rescued while ten others were killed.
Those killed were:
Lt Jg Emerson W. Miles,
Ap1 Fabian J. Kestell,
Amm2 Eugene A. Widener,
Arm1 Winford C. Williams,
Aom3 Quell V. Buchanan,
AerM1 Merril J. Murphy,
Aom1 John G. Steuer,
Amm1 George R. A. Tracy,
Arm1 Robert G. Peshek.
Passenger:
G. C. Leavitt.

At 0559LT, the aircraft departed Tucson and routine position reports were subsequently received from the flight over Casa Grande, Gila Bend, and Yuma, Arizona. At 0754, the American Airlines radio operator at San Diego transmitted the 0750 weather report for San Diego: Indefinite ceiling 1,200 feet, broken clouds; visibility 8 miles. Receipt of this information was acknowledged by flight 6103 and immediately thereafter the flight reported that it had been over El Centro, California, at 0753 at 3,000 feet. Los angels Airway Traffic Control delivered a clearance for Flight 6103 to American Airlines radio station at San Diego clearing the flight to San Diego to cruise at 8,000 feet and to cross San Diego at an altitude of at least 500 feet above the overcast. The company station, in turn, attempted to relay the Airway Traffic Control clearance to the flight at 0812, however, after several attempts at establishing contact with the flight, Airway Traffic Control was advised that the clearance as not delivered. All further attempts to contact the flight were unsuccessful. Routine search procedures were initiated immediately and at 1305 aircraft of the Naval Air Control Center at San Diego reported sighting the wreckage of the airplane was spotted on the east slope of Thing Mountain, some 10 miles southeast of Pine Valley. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 25 occupants were killed.

While performing a night training mission off San Diego, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the sea and sank. There were no survivors.

The crew was performing a test flight while flying at low height, the seaplane (ski equipped) hit power cables and crashed into the Mission Gorge near the Mission Dam. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Cpt G. D. Ferrin,
Acmc F. S. Rakovic.

Crash landed at San Diego Airport in unclear circumstances. No casualties.

The crew was practicing night landings when the float plane collided with a second USN Catalina registered 0896 and also carrying a crew of five. Both planes crashed into the San Diego Bay and were lost. On board 0895, one crew member was killed and four others were injured. On board 0896, four were killed and a fifth occupants was injured.

The crew was practicing night landings when the float plane collided with a second USN Catalina registered 0896 and also carrying a crew of five. Both planes crashed into the San Diego Bay and were lost. On board 0895, one crew member was killed and four others were injured. On board 0896, four were killed and a fifth occupants was injured.

The float plane was returning to its base in San Diego following a night patrol flight. Upon landing on the lower San Diego Bay, the airplane collided with a ship and sank. Two crew members were rescued and six others were killed.

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.