Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1943 at 0725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin M.130
Operator:
Registration:
NC14715
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Honolulu – San Francisco
MSN:
557
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
V1104
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
10
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
19
Aircraft flight hours:
14628
Circumstances:
At the end of the night, while overflying the Pacific ocean off the Californian coast, the radio navigator contacted San Francisco ATC to inform about an estimated time of arrival at 0710LT, nearly three hours ahead the schedule. While approaching San Francisco from the north, by night and in poor weather conditions, at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the seaplane christened 'Philippine Clipper' hit the slope of a mountain located 7 miles southwest of Ukiah. Extensive emergency resources were dispatched to the scene where no survivors were found among the 19 occupants.
Crew:
Robert M. Elzcy, pilot,
G. F. Acbel, pilot,
Orven K. Judd, copilot,
L. A. Mackota, flight engineer,
J. J. Egan, flight engineer,
John Maynard, navigator,
C. P. Thompson, radio operator,
G. W. Angus, radio operator,
John Hill, steward.
Crew:
Robert M. Elzcy, pilot,
G. F. Acbel, pilot,
Orven K. Judd, copilot,
L. A. Mackota, flight engineer,
J. J. Egan, flight engineer,
John Maynard, navigator,
C. P. Thompson, radio operator,
G. W. Angus, radio operator,
John Hill, steward.
Probable cause:
Failure of the captain to determine his position accurately before descending to a dangerously low altitude under extremely poor weather conditions during the hours of darkness.
Final Report:
NC14715.pdf739.75 KB
