Accident Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3) NC206,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 336786

Date:	Wednesday 21 January 1948
Time:	16:30
Type:	Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3)
Owner/operator:	Civil Aeronautics Administration
Registration:	NC206
MSN:	4776
Year of manufacture:	1942
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney R-1830
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	11 km WSW of Ward, CO - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Calibration/Inspection
Departure airport:	Denver (unknown airport), CO
Destination airport:	Grand Junction-Walker Field, CO (GJT/KGJT)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The DC-3 departed from Denver, Colorado, at 16:02 for Grand Junction, Colorado. Over the route to Grand Junction a check was to be made by the crew of the VHF (Very High Frequency) airway facilities to determine whether they were operating normally. Twenty-two minutes after departure the crew reported at an altitude of 14,500 feet, 500 feet over the top of clouds. The flight also reported that they were experiencing severe turbulence. A few minutes later the DC-3 struck the north northeast side of Navajo Peak approximately 500 feet below the summit, and at an elevation of 12,900 feet (3930 m) above sea level.
On May 23, 1948 the wreckage was located by an Air National Guard pilot.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was an excessive loss of altitude resulting from a downdraft in an area of severe turbulence."

Accident investigation: