Narrative:
The flight departed Holtville at 18:50 and was cleared to San Diego on a contact flight plan to cruise at 7,000 feet. En route at 19:09, the flight made a position report to the company radio at Los Angeles advising that it was over Mt. Laguna at 7,000 feet. Ten minutes later the crew had initiated a descent. At an altitude of 6120 feet the DC-3 flew into the east slope of Cuyapaipe Mountain, 75 feet below the crest. The wreckage was found three days later.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the conduct of the flight at an altitude which would not clear obstructions, due to an error by the pilot in determining his position with respect to Laguna Mountain."
» CAB File No. 5565-46
accident date: 24-12-1946
type: Douglas DC-3A
registration: NC45395
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 24 December 1946 |
| Time: | 19:19 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3A |
| Operator: | Western Air Lines |
| Registration: | NC45395 |
| MSN: | 11642 |
| First flight: | 1943 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3699 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 80 km (50 mls) E of San Diego, CA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Holtville Airport, CA, United States of America |
| San Diego International Airport, CA (SAN/KSAN), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 44 |
The flight departed Holtville at 18:50 and was cleared to San Diego on a contact flight plan to cruise at 7,000 feet. En route at 19:09, the flight made a position report to the company radio at Los Angeles advising that it was over Mt. Laguna at 7,000 feet. Ten minutes later the crew had initiated a descent. At an altitude of 6120 feet the DC-3 flew into the east slope of Cuyapaipe Mountain, 75 feet below the crest. The wreckage was found three days later.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the conduct of the flight at an altitude which would not clear obstructions, due to an error by the pilot in determining his position with respect to Laguna Mountain."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 45)» CAB File No. 5565-46
Photos
accident date: 24-12-1946
type: Douglas DC-3A
registration: NC45395
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.
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Douglas DC-3
- ca 13.000 built
- 2435th loss
- 770th fatal accident
- 159th worst accident (at the time)
- 441st worst accident (currently)
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