Zone
Mendoza

Crash of a Morane-Saulnier M.S.760A-1 Paris near Mendoza: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris
Operator:
Registration:
E-218
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Rafael - San Rafael
MSN:
A-06
YOM:
1958
Location:
Mendoza
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission out from San Rafael Airport. While flying at an altitude of 10,300 feet, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near the Uspallata Valley, about 62 km northwest of Mendoza. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47D on Mt Armer: 28 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1951 at 1534 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
44-76266
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Rafael – Williams – San Angelo – New York
MSN:
15850/32598
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt Armer
Arizona
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Captain / Total flying hours:
1969
Captain / Total hours on type:
216.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1062
Circumstances:
The aircraft was carrying 19 cadets of the West Point Academy, five passengers and a crew of four from San Rafael to New York with intermediate stops in Williams AFB (Chandler, Arizona) and San Angelo, Texas. While approaching Phoenix from the northeast at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the pilot received the permission to descent to 6,000 feet when ATC requested his position in relation to Mt White Tank. The pilot said he overflew this mountain five minutes ago but the controller was convinced this was not the case. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a peak located in the Armer mountain range, about 66 miles northeast of Williams AFB. The wreckage was found two days later 100 feet from the summit and all 28 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maj Lester Carlson, pilot,
1st Lt Walter Boback, copilot,
Sgt Jeane Garafalo 1.
Passengers:
William Pedrick,
Hilmar G. Manning,
Robert W. Berry Jr.,
Leonard G. De Vilbiss III,
William E. Melancon Jr.,
Harry K. Roberts Jr.,
Guy L. McNeil Jr.,
Nelson S. Byers,
Francis C. Camilli,
Noel S. Perrin,
Alan C. Abrahamson,
William F. Sharp,
Karl F. Glasbrenner Jr.,
Ward B. Keiler,
Kenneth MacArthur,
Ronald E. Rounds,
Hugh R. Wilson,
Herman Archer,
Maurice J. Mastelotto
5 civilians.
Probable cause:
Link to the USAF Accident report:
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/C47rpt.htm

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL near Cordelia: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1945 at 0005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16383
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
McClellan – San Rafael
MSN:
20849
YOM:
1944
Location:
Cordelia
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:
Shortly after midnight, while cruising in low visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit a ridge and crashed in a canyon located 3,5 miles southwest of Cordelia. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Harry S. Cooper,
1st Lt Glen K. Dorsey,
1st Lt Francis E. Reagan.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner on Mt Tamalpais: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1944 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
45415
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Alameda - Honolulu
MSN:
45415
Location:
San Rafael
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
1500
Captain / Total hours on type:
1200.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Alameda NAS, while approaching the Golden Gate at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. The captain decided to return to his departure point and started a turn to the right while penetrating a cloudy area. By night, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Tamalpais located some 5 miles southwest of San Rafael. The wreckage was spotted a day later and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Joseph L. Resley,
Lt Thomas W. Oliver,
Ens Chapin B. Miller,
ACMM Harry L. Holland,
AMM2 Rodney Jeffers,
ARM2 Thomas J. Joyce,
ARM3 John R. Kelly,
AOM2 Wayne D. Paxson.
Photos: http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/pbm5bu.htm
Probable cause:
According to investigations, the sky was broken at the time of the accident, with scattered showers. Due to an insufficient visibility, it was concluded that weather conditions were unsuitable for such transpacific flight. The crew was unable to detect the mountain because it was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was low due to night.

Crash of a Douglas B-18B Bolo near Big Pine: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-306
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Phoenix – San Rafael
MSN:
1694
YOM:
1936
Location:
Big Pine
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Phoenix on a flight to Hawaii with an intermediate stop in San Rafael, California. While cruising over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew encountered poor visibility due to heavy snow falls. The airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located about 10 miles west of Big Pine. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned as no trace was found. The wreckage was eventually found by walkers on July 5, 1942.
Crew:
Cpt James Gordon Leavitt,
S/Sgt Stephen W. Hoffman,
Pfc Samuel J. Van Hamm Jr.
Passengers:
Maj Gen Herbert Arthur Dargue,
Lt Col Charles W. Bundy,
Lt Col George W. Rickey,
Maj Hugh Francis McCaffery,
1st Lt Homer C. Burns.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo near Napa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-498
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Rafael – Salt Lake City
MSN:
2498
YOM:
1937
Location:
Napa
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from San Rafael to Salt Lake City, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions when the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of the Twin Sisters Peak located 10 km east of Napa. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt Robert M. Kinney,
Cpt Franklin Smith Nelson,
Pfc John W. Phillips,
2nd Lt Eugene W. Sell,
T/Sgt Andrew Zeik.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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