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Crash of a Boeing 247D near Newhall: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1936 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13355
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oakland – San Francisco – Burbank
MSN:
1737
YOM:
1933
Flight number:
UA034
Location:
Newhall
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While descending to Burbank Airport in low visibility due to rain falls, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and lost its both wings. It continued for a hundred metres then collided with a stony wall and crashed in wooded and hilly terrain near Rice Canyon, two miles southwest of Newhall. All 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Edwin W. Blom, pilot,
Robert J. McLean, copilot,
Yvonne Trego, stewardess.
Passengers:
Mr. & Mrs. Edward T. Ford Jr.,
M. P. Harem,
John Korn,
A. L. Markwell,
W. A. Newton,
Alex Novak,
H. S. Teague,
Evelyn Valance.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was an error on the part of the pilot for attempting to fly through the Newhall pass at an altitude lower than the surrounding mountains without first determining by radio the existing weather.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Burbank: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1935 at 2307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13314
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Burbank – Salt Lake City
MSN:
1695
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
WX006
Location:
Burbank
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
5000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Burbank Airport, while climbing to a height of 1,000 feet in limited visibility due to fog and night, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, collided with power cables and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All three occupants, two pilots and a stewardess, were killed.
Probable cause:
Several theories have been suggested as the probable cause of this accident. However, to date, no direct evidence has been uncovered which will substantiate any of them. Thus, it is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was failure of the pilot to maintain proper control of the aircraft while climbing through fog. It is believed he suffered a spatial disorientation while climbing in low visibility due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Stinson SM-6000 in Costa Mesa

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SM-6000
Operator:
G. S. Armistead
Registration:
NC977W
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5008
YOM:
1931
Location:
Santa Ana-John Wayne
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons in Costa Mesa while approaching to land at Santa Ana-Orange County Airport. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.

Crash of a Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket in Fillmore

Date & Time: May 7, 1935 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket
Operator:
Petrol Oil Corporation of Los Angeles
Registration:
NC547V
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Los Angeles - Los Angeles
MSN:
605
YOM:
1935
Location:
Fillmore
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:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Los Angeles in cloudy conditions (ceiling at 600 feet). The pilot was certain that visibility was better outside the city when few minutes later, he encountered foggy conditions. With a ceiling at 2,330 feet, he decided to get around the clouds and went into a canyon when the airplane impacted a hill side. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was poor judgment on the part of the pilot for attempting this flight under weather conditions which existed at the time and for continuing flight up a canyon until engulfed in fog which could have been avoided and for attempting a turn in a canyon so narrow that there was not a reasonable expectancy of being able to complete the turn.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Glendale

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC994Y
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
17
YOM:
1931
Location:
Glendale
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:
Upon takeoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed in a pond. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure upon takeoff.

Crash of a Waco UIC near Newhall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1934 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Waco UIC
Operator:
Registration:
NC13065
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Burbank - Burbank
MSN:
3719
YOM:
1933
Location:
Newhall
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:
The single engine airplane departed Hollywood-Burbank Airport at 0630LT on a local flight. About an hour and a half into the flight, the pilot encountered limited visibility due to fog and did not realize he was flying at an insufficient altitude. At full speed, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 6 miles south of Newhall. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all four occupants were killed, among them W. E. 'Tommy' Thomas, owner of the Pacific Airmotive Corporation.
Crew:
W. E. 'Tommy' Thomas, pilot.
Passengers:
Roy W. Kidd,
F. M. Matthews,
Dorothy Benham.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Newhall

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1934 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC999Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Winslow – Los Angeles
MSN:
4
YOM:
1931
Location:
Newhall
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:
While on a night cargo flight from Winslow to Los Angeles, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was found safe a day later.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega in San Bernardino: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
United Air Services - USA
Registration:
NC32E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
33
YOM:
1929
Location:
San Bernardino
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:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was completely demolished and a passenger was seriously injured while all three other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 9 Orion in Burbank: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1934 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 9 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
XA-BEJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
173
YOM:
1934
Location:
Burbank
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:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a positioning flight to Burbank Airport to pick up passengers. On final approach, he encountered foggy conditions and failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane collided with an obstacle and crashed near a fie station, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.

Crash of a Bellanca C-27A Airbus in Griffith Park

Date & Time: May 18, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Bellanca P-200 Airbus (C-27A)
Operator:
Registration:
33-25
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Long Beach – Griffith Park
MSN:
716
YOM:
1933
Location:
Griffith Park (Los Angeles)
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:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Griffin Park, control was lost and the airplane crashed into trees. Both crew members were injured.
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