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Crash of a Keystone Y1B-4A near Palmdale

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Keystone LB-3
Operator:
Registration:
30-281
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
March – Las Vegas
Location:
Palmdale
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from March AFB to Las Vegas, the crew encountered problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed some 32 km east of Palmdale and came to rest. All five crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing due to a fuel management error.

Crash of a Douglas Dolphin off Avalon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Douglas Dolphin
Operator:
Wilmington-Catalina Airlines
Registration:
NC12212
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Avalon – Wilmington
MSN:
1002
YOM:
1931
Location:
Avalon (Catalina Island)
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Avalon's harbor, while climbing, the float plane crashed into the sea for unknown reasons. The captain Walter L. Seiler was seriously injured while the copilot George R. Baker and the passenger were killed. The crew was positioning to Wilmington to complete the first commercial flight of the day to the Catalina Island.
Crew:
Walter L. Seiler, pilot,
George R. Baker, copilot.
Passenger:
Elliott McFarlan Moore, General Manager of Wilmington-Catalina Airlines.

Crash of a Sikorsky C-6A in Oceanside: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1933 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-38
Operator:
Registration:
30-399
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
March AFB - San Diego
MSN:
514-2
YOM:
1929
Location:
Oceanside
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The seaplane departed March AFB on a flight to San Diego-Rockwell Field. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane suffered a structural failure. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a pasture in Oceanside. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Carl H. Murray,
Sgt Archie W. Snodgrass,
Sgt Bonnell L. Herrick,
Cpl Walter T. Taylor,
Pvt Stanley Book,
Pvt Albert Overend,
Pvt Vincent Galdin.
Probable cause:
The airplane suffered a structural failure in flight after a wing strut failed at an altitude of 3,000 feet. As a result of this accident, all remaining USAAC Sikorsky C-6 were withdrawn from use and scrapped.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega in Dos Palos

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1933 at 1750 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NR7805
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fresno – San Francisco
MSN:
28
YOM:
1928
Location:
Dos Palos
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:
En route from Fresno to San Francisco, the engine failed. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a swamp. The pilot Donald McIntyre, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Stearman C-3MB into the Big Bear Lake: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1933 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stearman C-3
Operator:
Harry Sweet
Registration:
NC6488
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Big Bear Lake – Glendale
MSN:
185
YOM:
1928
Location:
Big Bear Lake
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Harry Sweet departed Glendale on a flight to Big Bear Lake to scout filming locations. At Big Bear Lake, he was supposed to meet a friend who failed to show up, so he took off at dusk to return to Glendale. After takeoff, he made a low pass over the lake at a height of about 40 feet when the engine failed. The airplane nosed down and crashed into the lake. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Harry Sweet, pilot and actor.
Passengers:
Vera Williams, aka Claudette Ford, actress,
Howard Davitt, writer.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Fokker Y1C-14 in near the Cajon Pass: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F14
Operator:
Registration:
31-388
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
March – Crissey
MSN:
1420
YOM:
1931
Location:
Cajon Pass
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed March AFB on a flight to Crissey Field, San Francisco, carrying 7 crew members. En route, while flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impacted a mountain slope near the Cajon Pass, in the San Bernardino National Forest, California. Three crew members were killed and four others were injured, two seriously.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed Orion 9 in Hayward: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1933 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 9 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
NC12226
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Burbank – Oakland
MSN:
184
YOM:
1931
Location:
Hayward
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
On final approach to Oakland Airport, at night and in heavy rain falls, the pilot failed to realize he was flying too low. The landing gear hit the roof of a house and the aircraft crashed in the district of Hayward, less than 5 km from the runway threshold. Few houses were destroyed and among the debris, rescue teams did not find any survivors. All three occupants were killed as well as 11 people on the ground including children. It seems that the pilot was unable to establish a visual contact with the ground due to sudden change in weather conditions.
Probable cause:
Reportedly, NC12226 had descended below a safe height during its approach being conducted in darkness and during a rain, and the crash occurred after its extended undercarriage had struck a rooftop. The underlying cause of the accident was considered to have been an ‘unusual and unforeseen’ meteorological condition that developed in intensity and affected the immediate area of the crash. It was not known if the pilot had received a special weather report broadcast only about 15 minutes earlier, which warned of rain and a low ceiling.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Bakersfield

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC9666
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San Francisco – Los Angeles
MSN:
5-AT-025
YOM:
1929
Location:
Bakersfield
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from San Francisco to Los Angeles, the aircraft suffered an in-flight fire. The crew diverted to Bakersfield Airport. After touchdown, the airplane rolled for few dozen yards before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All nine occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Boeing 40B in Rocky Ridge: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1932 at 0002 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 40
Operator:
Registration:
NC281
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oakland – Reno
MSN:
892
YOM:
1927
Location:
Rocky Ridge
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:
Few minutes after his departure from Oakland Airport, bound for Reno, the pilot encountered poor visibility. He reduced his altitude, apparently to establish a visual contact with the ground, when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in Rocky Ridge, about 11 miles northeast of Oakland Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 40B-4 in Fresno

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1932 at 0157 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 40
Operator:
Registration:
NC10348
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bakersfield – Fresno
MSN:
1429
YOM:
1930
Location:
Fresno
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 approaching Fresno at night at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane caught fire. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field when the aircraft crashed and burnt. The pilot evacuated safely and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
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