Santa Monica

The piper PA-31T was a foreign registered aircraft (Federal Republic of Germany). The owner/pilot in the left front seat held a German commercial certificate with airplane instrument, single engine land and multi-engine land ratings. The pilot in the right front seat held an American private certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. During arrival, the aircraft was cleared to enter a right traffic pattern for runway 32R and was to follow a Decathlon that was landing on the same runway. When the PA-31 aircrew called turning onto a base leg, the tower asked if they had the Decathlon in sight, but they did not reply. The Decathlon pilot was then instructed to change his approach to 32L and was cleared to land. The PA-31 was observed to overshoot the turn to the final approach course to runway 32R. Witnesses reported the aircraft made an erratic, slow speed, nose high turn at low altitude, then it entered a right turn, nose down spin, crashed and burned. Impact occurred on a ground structure. An investigation revealed no preimpact/part failure or malfunction. Fire damaged to 5 autos. All six occupants were killed.

At about 700 feet msl the pilot reported to Santa Monica tower that his left eng had failed. He immediately feathered the left prop and continued to climb, planning to attempt a restart before returning to land. At about 1,000 feet msl the pilot determined that the aircraft was no longer climbing. His airspeed was below the single engine best rate of climb speed and he felt a power loss in the right engine. He put the nose down and feathered the right prop. The aircraft struck the water 2,000 yards from the Santa Monica pier. Life guards were on the scene with a rescue boat when the pilot surfaced.

While on final approach to Hollywood-Burbank Airport on a positioning flight from Santa Monica, the airplane adopted a nose-down attitude, struck power cables, hit a house and crashed in a wasteland located few miles short of runway. Both pilots and one people on the ground were killed. The aircraft was destroyed as well as several cars. A house was also damaged.

On January 31, at 1015, N8210H took off tram runway 03 of the Santa Monica, California, Airport. The aircraft was a new DC-7B being flown for the first time for the purpose of functionally checking the aircraft and its components in flight following production. The flight crew were Douglas Aircraft employees consisting of Pilot William G. Carr; Copilot Archie R. Twitchell; Flight Engineer Waldo B. Adams; and Radio Operator Roy Nakazawa. The aircraft had been subject to many regular inspections during its manufacture and numerous inspections which were required after production preceding the first flight. Accordingly, it was presumed the DC-7B was in airworthy condition. Preparations for the flight by its crew were routine, Departure was on a local VFR flight plan filed with the operations office of the company. The plan showed six hours of fuel aboard end that the flight duration wee estimated as 2 hours 15 minutes. It also showed the gross takeoff night of N8210H was 88,000, pounds, well under the maximum allowable. The load was properly distributed with respect to center of gravity limitations. According to routine procedure the flight switched to the Douglas company radio frequency after takeoff and made periodic progress reports. At 1030 the crew reported over the Catalina intersection, 9,000 feet, routine, and thereafter, at 1106, over Ontario, 25,000 feet, routine. At 1050 that morning, the Northrop operated F-89J, 52-1870, took off from runway 25 of the Palmdale, California, Airport, accompanied by another F-89J, 53-25 6A. The flight of 52-1870 was one of a series of functional flight checks following the completion of IRAN (inspection and repair as necessary), an overhaul project performed under contract by Northrop Aircraft for the United States Air Force. The specific flight was in accordance with provisions of the contract and its purpose was to check the radar fire control systems of both of the all-weather interceptors. The two-member flight crew of 52-1870 consisted of Pilot Roland E. Owen and Radar Operator Curtiss A. Adams, both employees of Northrop. Preparations for the operation were routine and departure was in accordance with a local VFR flight plan filed with the flight department of the company. The plan indicated the estimated duration of the operation as one hour with sufficient fuel aboard for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, considering afterburner time, altitude, and power settings for the mission. The F-89's took off individually, using afterburners, with a separation interval, of 20 seconds. In a wide starboard orbit the pilots utilized radar in a “snake climb” to 25,000 feet. At that altitude, a predetermined scissoring flight pattern was utilized which positioned the F-89's, without ground radar control, for simulated all-weather interceptor attacks on each other, during which the operation of airborne radar equipment could be checked. Radio transmissions, on company frequency, were recorded by ground facilities. These were routine commands between the pilots as they executed the radar check pattern and intercepts. At 1118 activity in the Douglas radio roan was interrupted by an emergency transmission from N 8210H. The voices were recognized by radio personnel familiar with the crew members. Pilot Cart first transmitted, “Uncontrollable," Copilot Twitchell then said, “We‘re a midair collision - midair collision, 10 How (aircraft identification using phonetic How for H) we are going in-uncontrollable - uncontrollable - we are . . . we've had it boy - poor jet too - told you we should take chutes - say goodbye to everybody.” Radio Operator Nakazawa’s voice was recognized and he concluded the tragic message with, "We are spinning In the valley.” This final transmission from the flight is presented because it contained important information relative to the accident investigation. It not only establishes the midair collision but also indicates the DC-7 was rendered uncontrollable. It further indicates that Mr. Twitchell at least recognized the aircraft with which they collided as a jet. Further, the DC-7 spun during its descent to the ground. All four crew members on board the DC-7 were killed plus three people on the ground. Seventy others have been injured. Weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident were reported by the Weather Bureau as clear, visibility 50 miles. Winds aloft at 25,000 were approximately 30 knots from 320 degrees.

On approach to Santa Monica-Clover Field, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Dry Canyon, some 5 miles north of the airport. All seven crew members were killed.

The airplane departed Santa Monica-Clover Field in the afternoon, carrying four passengers and one pilot. The team was filming aerial scenes for the film 'Such Men Are Dangerous' on behalf of the Fox Studios. While cruising about three miles offshore and filming people parachuting from a third aircraft, the Stinson Detroiter registered NC9691 collided with a second Detroiter registered NC8420. Also operated by Tanner Air Livery, it was carrying four passengers and one pilot as well. Following the collision, both airplanes entered a dive and crashed into the sea. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Walter Ross cook, pilot,
Halleck Rouse, pilot,
Kenneth Neil Hawks, director,
Ben Frankel, assistant director,
Max Gold, assistant director,
George Eastman, cameraman,
Tom Harris,
Harry Johannes,
Otho Jordan,
Conrad Wells, cinematographer.

The airplane departed Santa Monica-Clover Field in the afternoon, carrying four passengers and one pilot. The team was filming aerial scenes for the film 'Such Men Are Dangerous' on behalf of the Fox Studios. While cruising about three miles offshore and filming people parachuting from a third aircraft, the Stinson Detroiter registered NC8420 collided with a second Detroiter registered NC9691. Also operated by Tanner Air Livery, it was carrying four passengers and one pilot as well. Following the collision, both airplanes entered a dive and crashed into the sea. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Walter Ross cook, pilot,
Halleck Rouse, pilot,
Kenneth Neil Hawks, director,
Ben Frankel, assistant director,
Max Gold, assistant director,
George Eastman, cameraman,
Tom Harris,
Harry Johannes,
Otho Jordan,
Conrad Wells, cinematographer.

Crashed on landing.