Crash of a Lockheed C-121G Super Constellation in Oakland

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
54-4057
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4138
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a ground accident at Oakland Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Lockheed 12A Electra Junior near Fort Irwin: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N16020
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
1243
YOM:
1938
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in the Tierfort mountains, about 7,5 miles east of Fort Irwin. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor at Travis AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Travis – San Francisco
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was performing a flight from Travis AFB to San Francisco, carrying a crew of two and five passengers, among them four US Army Officers who should be transferred to San Francisco. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in flames. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Newhall: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1961 at 2126 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-16002
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Oxnard – Palmdale – George – Oxnard
MSN:
20468
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
3013
Captain / Total hours on type:
2307.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2791
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1312
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission on behalf of the 28th Squadron based in Oxnard. Following several touch-and-go maneuvers at Palmdale Airport, the crew continued to George Airbase in Victorville. While returning to Oxnard, the captain contacted ATC and received the permission to divert to Ventura Airport to perform few instruments approaches. While descending under VFR mode by night, the captain was informed about the presence of two successives cloud layers at 5,000 feet and 3,000 feet and instructed to report while over the last marker. Five minutes later, the airplane struck trees and crashed about 7 miles southwest of Newhall. Three crew members were killed instantly while three others walked away for all night to find help the next morning at 0630LT.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains undetermined but it is believed the pilot-in-command was descending at a too low altitude maybe to maintain a visual contact with the ground.

Ground accident of a Lockheed L-749A Constellation in Oakland

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1961
Registration:
N5595A
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2620
YOM:
1950
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was towed by ground personal when it collided with a parked Douglas DC-7C registered N312A and operated by Overseas National Airways. The circumstances of the occurrence remains unclear. There were no injuries but both airplanes were damaged beyond repair.

Ground accident of a Douglas DC-7 in Oakland

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N312A
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44133
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The parked airplane was struck by a Lockheed L-749A Constellation registered N5595A and operated by International Aircraft Services that was towed at Oakland Airport. The circumstances of the occurrence remains unclear. There were no injuries but both airplanes were damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed RC-121C Super Constellation near Marysville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
51-3842
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McClellan - McClellan
MSN:
4118
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances ten miles of Marysville while completing a test flight out from McClellan AFB. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress near Yuba City

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1961 at 1103 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0166
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mather - Mather
MSN:
464155
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a sortie from Mather AFB, Sacramento. En route, the failure of the cabin pressurization system caused by a window crack forced the crew to make an emergency descent. The pilot informed ground about his situation and elected to divert to the nearest airport when all crew members decided to abandon the airplane that crashed in an uninhabited area located 15 miles west of Yuba City. The airplane was totally destroyed and all eight crew members were rescued, four of them were injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pressurization system caused by a window crack.

Crash of a De Havilland U-1A Otter in Orinda: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-1698
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Monterey - Presidio
MSN:
312
YOM:
1959
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was on its way from Monterey, California, to Presidio-Crissy Field AFB in San Francisco, carrying four US Army officers and two crew members who should take part to a football game. While cruising at an altitude of 1,300 feet, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions when the airplane struck a water tower located on the top of a hill. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed into a ravine. All six occupants were killed. The Fort Ord Training Center commander and his deputy were killed in the crash.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Yuba City

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6957C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
5076
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While conducting a firefighting mission in the region of Yuba City, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in canyon and came to rest in flames. While both occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.