Wyoming

On final approach to Cheyenne Municipal Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (snow falls) when control was lost. The airplane crashed in flames and exploded few dozen yards from the airfield and was totally destroyed by fire. All five crew members were killed. The aircraft had just carried 15 young cadets to the Air Force Academy.
Crew:
Lt Col Frank L. Trochak,
Maj Fabian Dauzvardis,
Maj James C. Beach,
S/Sgt Paul Huston +1.

The crew departed Cody in the afternoon in a firefighting mission in the region of Dubois. While completing a pullup from a swath run, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed on the slope of a mountain. Both pilots were killed.

The crew departed Greybull on a firefighting mission. While flying at low height, the aircraft went through the smoke when it struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area. Both pilots were killed.

After touchdown at Empcampment-A-A Ranch Airport, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that veered off runway to the right. The left main gear then struck the edge of a parking ramp and the airplane came to a halt. All 16 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from Casper-Hartford Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in flames near the runway end. All eight occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Flight 409 originated at New York, New York, on October 5, 1955, destination San Francisco, California, with intermediate stops including Chicago, Illinois, Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. The trip to Denver was routine except for traffic delays, caused principally by weather, and the flight arrived there at 0551, October 6, one hour and 11 minutes late. Routine crew changes were made at Chicago and Denver, the last crew consisting of 'Captain Clinton C. Cooks, Jr., First Officer Ralph D. Salisbury, Jr., and Stewardess Patricia D. Shuttleworth. No discrepancies were reported by the former crew and none were found at Denver. While at Denver the aircraft was refueled to a total of 1,000 gallons of gasoline. Prior to departure Captain Cooke was briefed by the company's dispatcher on the en route weather, based on both U. S. Weather Bureau sequence reports and forecasts and the company meteorologist's forecasts and analysis. Following this briefing the flight me dispatched to Salt Lake City via airways V-4, V-118, V-6, and V-32, to cruise at 10,000 feet, and to fly in accordance with Visual Right Rules (VFR). The estimated time en route was two hours and 33 minutes. The only obligatory reporting point along the route was Rock Springs, Wyoming. The flight departed Denver at 0633, with 63 passengers, including two infants. At takeoff, the gross weight of the aircraft was 64,147 pounds, 653 pounds under the allowable weight of 64,800 pounds; an error of 100 pounds in excess of the allowable rear baggage compartment weight 2 was made in loading. Flight 409 reported its time off to the company and this was the last known radio contact with the flight. When the flight failed to report at Rock Springs at 0811, its estimated reporting time, repeated efforts were wade to establish radio contact with it. These were unsuccessful and the company then declared an emergency. A widespread search was immediately coordinated by Air Search and Rescue, which included the Wyoming Air National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, and United Air Lines. At approximately 1140 the same day the wreckage was sighted near Medicine Bow Peak, 33 miles west of Laramie, Wyoming. The Laramie weather at 0728 was; Scattered clouds, 5,500 feet; visibility 40 miles; wind west-northwest 13 knots; snow showers of unknown intensity over the mountains. The aircraft struck the almost vertical rock cliff of the east slope of Medicine Bow Peak (elevation 12,005 feet) located in the Medicine Bow Mountains. The crash occurred at an elevation of 11,570 feet, 60 feet below the top of that portion of the mountain directly above it. Two large smudge marks were apparent on the face of the mountain. In these marks were four scars, evenly spaced and in a horizontal line, the result of the engines and propellers of the aircraft striking the cliff. At impact the aircraft disintegrated and the wreckage me strewn over a wide area. Some parts were thrown to the mountain top above the crash site, others rested on ledges at various levels, and the remainder fell to the elope below. All 66 occupants have been killed.

Enroute from Selfridge AFB, Michigan, to Reno-Stead Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the airplane that crash near Burns. All seven crew members were killed.

Western Air Lines' Flight 314 departed Los Angeles, California, on a scheduled flight to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with intermediate stops scheduled at Las Vegas, Nevada; Cedar City and Salt Lake City, Utah; Casper, Wyoming, and Rapid City, South Dakota. The flight was routine to Salt Lake City, where a relief crew consisting of Captain M. R. Cawley, First Officer R. E. Crowther and Stewardess Mary Grace Creagan took over the flight in accordance with company crew assignment schedules. Prior to departure from Salt Lake City the aircraft was refueled to a total of 1,000 gallons, which filled all tanks, Flight 34 departed from the Salt Lake City ramp at 0721, but returned a few minutes later because of a broken nose wheel steering cable. The cable was replaced and Flight 34 was off the ground at 0850. According to company records, at takeoff the gross weight was 36,990 pounds, 2,144 pounds less than the maximum allowable weight of 39,134 pounds; the load was properly distributed so that the center of gravity of the aircraft was within approved limits. There were an passengers. The flight plan filed with Air Route Traffic Control specified Instrument Flight Rules at 15,000 feet via Green 3 and Blue 76 Airways. Eastward from Salt Lake City the Casper weather went below company minimums and Flight 34 elected to overfly this scheduled stop. After being advised of this action by the company Casper radio, Air Route Traffic Control issued a new clearance for the flight to descend to and maintain 13,000 feet to the Rapid City range station via Blue 37 and Red 2 Airways. However, an altitude change to 17,000 feet was requested by the flight and this was authorized by ARTC. At 1010 N8407H reported 17,000 over Casper, estimating the Wright intersection (122 miles west of Rapid City) at 1027. The Flight reported as being over the Wright intersection at 1025, at 17,000 feet, estimating Rapid City at 1050. The Casper company radio operator gave the flight the 0930 en route weather and the 1010 Rapid City Special #2 terminal weather. This, the last radio contact, was acknowledged by the flight at 1027. At 1041 the Rapid City radio operator attempted unsuccessfully to contact the flight to deliver a clearance for an instrument approach to Rapid City. Attempts continued until 1053 and at that time the Denver company dispatcher was advised that contact with the flight had been lost. At 1106 emergency procedures were initiated. Intermittent snows and restricted visibilities hampered intensive air search efforts. The wreckage was sighted by a Western Air Lines pilot the afternoon of February 28, and ground parties reached the scene that night. The aircraft had crashed in an isolated ranch area and all nine occupants had been killed.

While cruising by night and in foggy conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of the Mt Moran (12,605 feet high) located in the northwest part of Wyoming, south of the Yellowstone National Park. The aircraft departed Chico, California, at 1515LT, to Billings, Montana, carrying eight children, ten adults and a crew of three. The aircraft hit the mountain at approximately 1750LT. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Billings, SAR operations were conducted. The following day, farmers told the local authorities that fire was spotted in the mountain and that it was not possible to find anything burning at this period of the year except maybe the crashed aircraft. As the accident zone was unreachable, it took time to rescuers to find the wreckage. All 21 occupants have been killed.

At Las Vegas, Trip 11-8 remained on the ground 35 minutes. During this time, the crew obtained weather forecasts for the trip to Denver and had the aircraft serviced with 370 gallons of fuel. These forecasts indicated that between south-western Utah and Denver there would be broken to overcast clouds with bases and tops ranging from 8,000 to 20,000 feet in altitude, and that below 8,000 feet there would be light rain showers with light snow showers above this level. The flight was cleared under Instrument Flight Rules to cruise at 13,000 feet to Grand Junction, Colorado, 14,000 feet to Eagle, Colorado, and 16,000 feet to the Dupont Intersection, 5 miles north of Denver, with Laramie, Wyoming, designated as the alternate airport The computed elapsed time was three hours and five minutes with sufficient fuel aboard to fly five hours and five minutes. A forecast for Denver, at 1700, when the flight was estimated to arrive, indicated a ceiling of 700 feet with icing in the clouds above 8,000 feet. At Laramie, the chosen alternate airport, a ceiling of 2,000 feet occasionally lowering to 1,000 feet was forecast with light rain showers expected to change to light snow showers after dark. At 1403, the flight departed Las Vegas, and two hours and two minutes later, at 1605, reported over Grand Junction at an altitude of 13,000 feet, climbing to 14,000. At this time the flight received from INSAC (Interstate Airways Communication) at Grand Junction the 1530 weather observations for Grand Junction, Denver, Eagle and Pueblo, Colorado. Denver was reported having a variable ceiling of 600 feet, overcast and lower broken clouds, visibility six miles, light rain and wind from the north-northwest at 12 miles per hour. When over Eagle, at 1637, the flight reported at an altitude of 14,000 feet and climbing to 16,000. Forty-five minutes later, at 1708, over the Dupont Intersection the flight reported to the Denver Tower and was given the Denver weather as ceiling 200 feet and visibility two miles. As the ceiling and visibility were expected to remain that way for several hours and as the company's landing minimums for Denver were ceiling 400 feet and visibility one mile, the crew requested a change of flight plan. Rock Springs, Wyoming, was chosen as the new alternate and permission was requested to land at Laramie, weather permitting. Denver Air Traffic Control approved and cleared the flight to Rock Springs to maintain 14,000 feet. Twenty-five miles south of Laramie, at 1732, Trip 11 called the Cheyenne Tower and asked permission to change course and to proceed direct to Cheyenne. This was approved by Denver ATC and the crew was further advised by the tower that there was a squall line between Laramie and Cheyenne. The Cheyenne weather reported to the flight at that time was ceiling 3,500 feet, overcast, lower broken clouds and visibility 20 miles. At 1740, the flight reported over the Cheyenne range at 14,000 feet and a special Cheyenne weather report was given the crew which showed the ceiling had lowered to 900 feet and that there was light sleet, and a visibility of 12 miles. Proceeding out the east course of the Cheyenne range, the flight notified the tower that it was low on fuel, taking on ice, and having difficulty in maintaining altitude. A few minutes later clearance was given the flight to descend to 8,000 feet on the north course of Cheyenne range. 2 This was acknowledged and seconds later it encountered severe turbulence. At approximately 1750, an unreadable transmission was heard by the tower. There was definite hysteria in the voice making this transmission. The tower then called the flight several times but no answer was received. Two minutes later at 1752, the tower received the following transmission "We are O. K and are out of it now." About one-half minute later a noise believed to be caused by a surge of power of the aircraft's engines was heard northwest of the tower. Shortly after this a flash of light was seen about two miles northwest of the airport.