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Crash of a Vultee V-1A in Rancho San Simeon: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1938 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vultee V-1
Operator:
Registration:
NC14250
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Burbank – Rancho San Simeon
MSN:
14
YOM:
1935
Location:
Rancho San Simeon
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Burbank on a flight to Rancho San Simeon, carrying three British citizens and one pilot. On approach, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog. The airplane overshot and crashed past the runway end, bursting into flames. A passenger was injured and three other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-2A Catalina off San Clemente Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1938 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
0463
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Island - North Island
MSN:
10
YOM:
1937
Location:
San Clemente Island NAS
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night flight in formation with another Catalina registered 0463. While cruising side by side in heavy rain falls, both aircraft collided and crashed into the sea off the San Clemente Island, some 110 km west of San Diego. All occupants on board 0462 were killed while three crew members on boar 0463 survived.
Probable cause:
In-flight collision following a poor judgement on part of each crew.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-2A Catalina off San Clementet Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1938 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
0462
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Island - North Island
MSN:
9
YOM:
1937
Location:
San Clemente Island NAS
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night flight in formation with another Catalina registered 0463. While cruising side by side in heavy rain falls, both aircraft collided and crashed into the sea off the San Clemente Island, some 110 km west of San Diego. All occupants on board 0462 were killed while three crew members on boar 0463 survived.
Probable cause:
In-flight collision following a poor judgement on part of each crew.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-1 Catalina into the San Diego Bay: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
0158
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
San Diego - San Diego
MSN:
57
YOM:
1937
Location:
San Diego
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The float plane was returning to its base in San Diego following a night patrol flight. Upon landing on the lower San Diego Bay, the airplane collided with a ship and sank. Two crew members were rescued and six others were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega in Santa Maria: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Joe Lewis Air Service
Registration:
NC7427
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Santa Maria – Los Angeles
MSN:
15
YOM:
1928
Location:
Santa Maria
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Santa Maria Airport, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the single engine airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fokker Y1C-14 near Cajon Pass

Date & Time: May 7, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F14
Operator:
Registration:
31-385
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Edwards - March
MSN:
1417
YOM:
1931
Location:
Cajon Pass
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Edwards AFB to March AFB, the pilot encountered engine problems. He bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a mountainous terrain near Cajon Pass, 30 km southwest of Victorville. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-197 off San Francisco: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1937 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC16073
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Los Angeles – San Francisco – Oakland
MSN:
1913
YOM:
1936
Flight number:
UA023
Location:
San Francisco
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
On final approach to San Francisco Airport, the aircraft lost 400 feet in few seconds then nosed down and eventually crashed into the bay of San Francisco, some two miles short of runway. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. R. Thompson, pilot,
Joe De Cesaro, copilot,
Ruth Kimmel, stewardess.
Passengers:
John A. Orennan Sr.,
Gertrude Orennan,
Mark Fontana,
J. Franklin Gilmore,
Frank Margaroni,
Raker Meyers,
H. D. Friedlander,
Myron Loite.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was accidental jamming of the elevator controls as the result of a microphone being inadvertently dropped and lodging in such a position that the crew was unable to prevent rapid descent of the airplane.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 247D near Newhall: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1937 at 1107 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13315
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Salt Lake City – Las Vegas – Burbank – Long Beach – San Diego
MSN:
1696
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
WX007
Location:
Newhall
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Passing over Saugus at 5,200 feet, the aircraft was already 300 feet below the minimum prescribed altitude. The pilot elected to contact ATC without any success. Due to low visibility caused by foggy conditions, the pilot failed to realize he was flying at an insufficient altitude. With a rate of descent of 525 feet per minute, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of the Pinetos Peak located near Newhall. The copilot and four passengers, among them the explorer Martin Johnson, were killed.
Crew:
William W. Lewis, pilot,
Clifford P. Owens, copilot, †
Esther Jo Connor, stewardess.
Passengers:
James Braden, †
Martin Johnson, †
Osa Johnson,
A. L. Loomis, †
E. E. Spencer, †
Arthur Robinson,
R. T. Andersen,
H. H. Hulse,
Lita James,
T. E. Tillinghast.
Probable cause:
Summarizing, therefore, it is evident that several factors gave rise to this accident. Advance notification to the control tower at Burbank, either by the pilot or company personnel, would have assured continuous localizer operation, available to the pilot when needed. Continuing down the Saugus range for two minutes before switching to the Burbank localizer, as prescribed by the company, would have kept the pilot on course for at least two minutes longer and the danger of colliding with the mountains would have been reduced by that much. However, the Saugus range was in continuous operation and it is not understood why the pilot did not immediately switch back to this range when he discovered that the Burbank frequency was busy with voice transmission. This would have definitely guided him through the high mountains or until he had requested and received continuous operation of the Burbank range. Likewise, it is not understood why the pilot continued in descending flight without the aid of range guidance. It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was error on the part of the pilot for descending to a dangerously low altitude without positive knowledge of his position.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin YB-10 near March AFB

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-10 (Model 139 & 166)
Operator:
Registration:
33-152
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
520
YOM:
1933
Location:
March AFB
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to March AFB, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located 8 km southeast of the airbase, bursting into flames. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Martin B-10B off Hamilton AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-10 (Model 139 & 166)
Operator:
Registration:
34-79
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
610
YOM:
1934
Location:
Hamilton AFB (Novato)
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While approaching Hamilton AFB, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in the San Pedro Bay, about 15 km off the airbase. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
LT Herber E. Knieriem,
Pvt Hartley E. Roberts.
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