Date: | Friday 17 February 1956 |
Time: | 13:45 |
Type: | Douglas R5D-2 (DC-4) |
Owner/operator: | United States Navy |
Registration: | 39116 |
MSN: | 18331 |
Year of manufacture: | 1944 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 40 / Occupants: 40 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | 5,6 km N of Niles, CA -
United States of America
|
Phase: | Approach |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | Santa Ana-El Toro MCAS, CA (NZJ/KNZJ) |
Destination airport: | Alameda NAS, CA (NGZ/KNGZ) |
Narrative:After circling for 30 minutes, the pilot contacted Oakland Municipal Airport, reporting that he was on his approach to Alameda NAS. While flying in low overcast and drizzling rain, the Navy plane flew up a steep canyon, skimmed over one ridge and then slammed into Sunol Ridge at the 1300 feet level.
A subsequent Marine board of inquiry into the cause of the crash placed the blame on the flight crews deviation from the prescribed holding pattern, departure from the radio beacon, and making their descent in a unprescribed manner.
Sources:
Notable California Aviation Disasters
Location
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |