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Crash of a Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress near Milford

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
38-218
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2011
YOM:
1938
Location:
Milford
Utah
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:
The airplane was damaged beyond repair in a forced landing four miles north of Milford. There were no casualties.
Crew:
Harry J. Hawthorne.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo near Park City: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-311
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
1699
YOM:
1936
Location:
Park City
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City in the afternoon, carrying four passengers and three crew members. The goal of the mission was to transfer Major Robert E. L. Pirtle, who was the flight commander of the 88th Squadron, to the west coast in view of a later transfer to the Philippines. Over Utah, the crew encountered stormy weather and the captain ordered the occupants to bail out. Six were able to evacuate the cabin and five of them parachuted to safety, one was killed as his parachute failed to open. A crew member was also killed as he remained on board until the airplane crashed on the slope of Iron Mountain, west of Park City.
Crew:
1st Lt William E. Basye, pilot,
2nd Lt Mabry Simmons,
Sgt Jack D. Anderson, flight engineer. †
Passengers:
Maj Robert E. L. Pirtle, †
2nd Lt C. A. Smith,
S/Sgt Eugene V. Bynum,
Pfc Raymond L. Torgerson.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-197 in Centerville: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1940 at 0442 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC16086
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oakland – San Francisco – Sacramento – Reno – Elko – Salt Lake City
MSN:
1925
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
UA016
Location:
Centerville
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
16855
Captain / Total hours on type:
2160.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3341
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2500
Aircraft flight hours:
8694
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor visibility due to the night and snow falls, the aircraft impacted the slope of the Bountiful Peak located in the Wasatch Mountain Range, some five km northeast of Centerville. SAR arrived on the scene around 0900LT. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 10 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the foregoing findings of fact and upon all of the evidence available at this time, investigators find that the probable cause of the accident was the malfunctioning of the Salt Lake radio range and that substantial contributing factors to the accident were:
- The failure of the communications operators at Tintic, Plymouth, and Salt Lake City, Utah, whose duty it was to monitor the range, to detect its malfunctioning and immediately notify those concerned; and
- The failure of the pilot to follow to the fullest extent established radio range technique in accordance with the requirements of the procedure established by United and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Final Report:

Crash of a Stinson Model A on Mt Wasatch: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Duck Air Services
Registration:
NC15156
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
9116
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mt Wasatch
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. He lost control of the aircraft that crashed on the slope of Mt Wasatch. Two occupants were killed and five others were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed 5C Vega in Saint George: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
United Air Services - USA
Registration:
NC48M
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cinematography
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Saint George - Saint George
MSN:
100
YOM:
1930
Location:
Saint George
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft named 'Honeymoon Express' was owned by Paul Mantz (pilot) and used for cinematography. With two photographer on board, he was completing a flight for the movie 'Only Angels Have Wings' with Cary Grant. While landing, the aircraft hit the ground violently, went out of control and came to rest upside down. A photographer was killed while both other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing 247D on Lone Peak: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1936 at 0314 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13370
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Burbank – Las Vegas – Salt Lake City
MSN:
1957
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
WX006
Location:
Lone Peak
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching Salt Lake City Airport at night and in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to fix his real position and was unaware that the aircraft deviated from the approach path to the east. While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet at a speed of 207 miles an hour, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of Lone Peak (11,253 feet high) located some 20 miles southeast of the airport. SAR teams were unable to locate the aircraft and all operations were suspended few days later. The wreckage was eventually found on July 4, 1937.
Crew:
S. J. Samson, pilot,
William L. Bogan, copilot,
Gladys Witt, stewardess.
Passengers:
C. Christopher,
Mr. & Mrs. John Wolf,
E. W. Edwards.
Probable cause:
It was established that during the approach to Salt Lake City, the flight encountered snow static which rendered the aircraft's navigation receivers inoperative. Without a definite course to follow, the flight drifted east into mountainous terrain. It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of the accident was inability of the pilots to identify the south leg of the Salt Lake Radio Range due to a local static condition which rendered both range receivers in the airplane inoperative.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-2A-127 off Salt Lake City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC14285
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1328
YOM:
1934
Location:
Salt Lake City
Utah
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
Circumstances:
The crew was flying back to his base in California. Shortly after takeoff from Salt Lake City Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and plunged into the Great Salt Lake. The aircraft sank quickly but all three occupants were able to evacuate the cabin. Unfortunately, they drowned while trying to reach the shore. The aircraft was owned by the Standard Oil of California, not the Standard Oil Company, defunct in 1914.

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Salt Lake City: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1934 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13357
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Los Angeles – Salt Lake City – Cheyenne – Chicago
MSN:
1739
YOM:
1933
Location:
Salt Lake City
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a schedule service from Los Angeles to Chicago with intermediate stops in Salt Lake City and Cheyenne. It departed Salt Lake City Airport at 1400LT bound for Cheyenne with five passengers and three crew members on board. Weather conditions were poor with limited visibility due to snow falls and fog. While flying at an altitude of 8,000 feet at full speed, the airplane impacted the slope of the Parley's Canyon located about 17 km southeast of Salt Lake City Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lloyd Anderson, pilot,
Eric G. Danielson, copilot.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain. Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Boeing 247 in Provo

Date & Time: May 12, 1933 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
NC13320
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Salt Lake City – Rock Springs
MSN:
1701
YOM:
1933
Location:
Provo
Utah
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
Aircraft flight hours:
15
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight from Salt Lake City to Rock Springs, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Too low, the airplane impacted ground and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Provo. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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