Date & Time:
Feb 13, 1945 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
50765
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
14848/26293
YOM:
1944
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
21
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
The crew was unaware of his real position after takeoff due to the malfunction of a gyro. Because the aircraft was flying over the Bay of San Francisco and due to lack of visibility and the absence of ground visual references, the crew lost his bearings during initial climb.
