Date: | Monday 20 April 1953 |
Time: | 23:08 |
Type: | Douglas DC-6B |
Owner/operator: | Western Air Lines |
Registration: | N91303 |
MSN: | 43823/298 |
Year of manufacture: | 1952 |
Total airframe hrs: | 826 hours |
Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB16 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 10 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | San Francisco Bay, CA -
United States of America
|
Phase: | Approach |
Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
Departure airport: | San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO) |
Destination airport: | Oakland International Airport, CA (OAK/KOAK) |
Investigating agency: | CAB |
Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:Western Flight 636 was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to Oakland with an intermediate stop at San Francisco. The DC-6 departed San Francisco's runway 28R at 23:05 for s short VFR flight across the bay to Oakland. The flight was to remain clear of clouds at a minimum altitude of 500 feet.
The crew were cleared to enter the traffic pattern for Oakland's runway 27R, three minutes later. On approach, the aircraft descended into the bay and crashed.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's action in continuing a descent below the 500-foot prescribed minimum altitude until the aircraft struck the water. A probable contributing factor to the aircraft striking the water was the sensory illusion experienced by the pilots."
Accident investigation:
|
| |
Investigating agency: | CAB |
Report number: | final report |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | |
Download report: | Final report |
|
Sources:
CAB File No. 1-0020
ICAO Accident Digest Circular 39-AN/34 (67-71)
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |