Date & Time:
May 7, 1935 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket
Operator:
Petrol Oil Corporation of Los Angeles
Registration:
NC547V
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Los Angeles - Los Angeles
MSN:
605
YOM:
1935
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Los Angeles in cloudy conditions (ceiling at 600 feet). The pilot was certain that visibility was better outside the city when few minutes later, he encountered foggy conditions. With a ceiling at 2,330 feet, he decided to get around the clouds and went into a canyon when the airplane impacted a hill side. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was poor judgment on the part of the pilot for attempting this flight under weather conditions which existed at the time and for continuing flight up a canyon until engulfed in fog which could have been avoided and for attempting a turn in a canyon so narrow that there was not a reasonable expectancy of being able to complete the turn.
