Narrative:The aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight, flying a load of Newsweek Magazines from Dayton, Ohio to Los Angeles, California. After passing over the Acomita intermediate airway, the aircraft went into a steep dive. Attempting to pull up out of the dive, the pilot and co-pilot tried a belly landing. However it crashed on the rim of San Rafael Mesa, New Mexico, Pilot Sawyer and co-pilot Feemster did not survive the accident. Flight engineer Lewis was the sole survivor.
Sources:
»
A Story of the Budd RB-1 Conestoga / by Nancy Canavan Heslop»
Lieut Richard C Sawyer (findagrave.com)
Photos
accident date:
07-11-1946type: Budd RB-1 Conestoga
registration: NC45357
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Dayton Airport, OH to Los Angeles Municipal Airport, CA as the crow flies is 3070 km (1919 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.