California

The Boeing B-29-70-BW Superfortress registered 44-69939 was carrying a crew of 11 and was flying at an altitude of 26,000 feet. A second Boeing B-29-50-MO Superfortress registered 44-86364 was carrying a crew of 10 and was flying about 1,000 feet above when one of its engine failed. The aircraft lost height, cut the path of the first B-29 and both aircraft collided at FL260. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and during the dive, two crew members in the first B-29 and one crewman in the second B-29 were able to bail out before both aircraft crashed in a prairie located some 11 miles northwest of Stockton. The three crewmen who were able to bail out were found unhurt while all 18 other occupants in both aircraft were killed.

The Boeing B-29-70-BW Superfortress registered 44-69939 was carrying a crew of 11 and was flying at an altitude of 26,000 feet. A second Boeing B-29-50-MO Superfortress registered 44-86364 was carrying a crew of 10 and was flying about 1,000 feet above when one of its engine failed. The aircraft lost height, cut the path of the first B-29 and both aircraft collided at FL260. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and during the dive, two crew members in the first B-29 and one crewman in the second B-29 were able to bail out before both aircraft crashed in a prairie located some 11 miles northwest of Stockton. The three crewmen who were able to bail out were found unhurt while all 18 other occupants in both aircraft were killed.

The crew was performing a flight from Sheppard AFB (Wichita Falls, Texas) to Long Beach with an intermediate stop in Williams AFB, Arizona. While flying over de Chino Hills in clouds, the twin engine aircraft hit the cables of a high-tension power line and crashed on the slope of the San Juan Hill, southwest of Chino. All occupants were killed, apparently five crew members.

En route from Lowry AFB (Denver) to Alameda NAS (Oakland), the airplane suffered a loss of power on both engines and the crew instructed all six passengers to bail out. After they abandoned the airplane, the crew lost control of the aircraft which dove into the ground and crashed in a marshy field located about 2 miles north of Collinsville. Both pilots were killed while all six passengers were uninjured.

The crew was apparently involved in a maritime patrol flight from North Island-Halsey Field NAS, San Diego. Shortly after takeoff, the seaplane encountered strong winds, causing a wing to drop and hit the water surface. The aircraft went out of control and crashed, killing all ten crew members.

Flight 897R originated at New York, New York, for Long Beach, California, with stops at Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Kansas, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Burbank, California. A crew change was made at Kansas City. Departure from Kansas City was at 2321, July 11, and the flight proceeded through thunderstorm conditions to Albuquerque. Departure from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was at 0424, with 44 passengers, including two infants; 4 crew members, 875 gallons of gasoline, and 60 gallons of oil, and with a visual flight rules clearance. The total weight at time of departure was 39,746 pounds, which was within the certificated gross weight of the aircraft, and all disposable load was properly distributed so that the center of gravity of the aircraft was within the certificated limits. After leaving Albuquerque, considerable turbulence and thunderstorm conditions were encountered before clear weather was entered. At 0722 the flight contacted Riverside, California, INSAC, advised that at 0720 it was over Riverside at 9,000 feet, 500 on top, and requested a top report 2 for the vicinity of Burbank (about 67 miles to the west) which was given as 2,200 feet MSL. 3 The flight then filed an Instrument Flight Rules plan from its position direct to Burbank estimating arrival there at 0740. Clearance was issued by the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center as follows. "ATC clears N79978 from present position to Simi Intersection direct cruise 500 on top, maintain 500 on top until advised by Burbank Control on 248 Kes., no delay--contact Burbank Approach Control when approaching Burbank." The first radio contact with the Burbank Tower was at 0735, at which time the flight reported its position as west of Riverside, and upon request the latest (0725) Burbank weather observation was given the pilot as "measured ceiling 800 overcast, thin obscurement, visibility two miles, smoke." The tower advised the flight that another aircraft, a Cessna, was then over Chatsworth 4 inbound and that no delay was anticipated. At 0736 the Cessna reported that it was contact and was cleared to land. Immediately N79978 was contacted "cleared to make straight-in approach to the aerodrome, Runway 7, Burbank altimeter three zero zero two, time cheek three six." The pilot acknowledged and advised that his position was "approaching Burbank Range," but did not give his altitude. This was the last radio contact with the flight. No position report was made as actually over Burbank Range. At 0745, a California Central Airlines' DC-3, Flight 81, reported over the Burbank Range, and was directed to hold north-west of Simi, 500 on top, pending the landing of N79978. When N79978 failed to arrive, several calls were initiated to it by the tower but no response was heard. California Central's flight was then requested to search for the aircraft and sighted the burning wreckage about three miles west of the town of Chatsworth, California, in the Santa Susana Mountains at 0800. At that time, 17 minutes after the accident, the weather at the crash site was clear with a former cloud layer rapidly dissipating. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and three crew members and 32 passengers were killed.

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 crew was engaged in a local training sortie in Oakland Airport. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the right engine suffered a loss of power. The captain informed ATC and elected to return for an emergency landing but the aircraft stalled, hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Alameda, north of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were injured.

While flying by night, an engine caught fire. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames in a wooded area located 3 miles south of Weimar. All eight crew members were killed.

While cruising in reduced visibility, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 18 miles east of Salinas. All five occupants were killed, among them four sailors from the Naval Base at Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay.