AIRCRAFT WRECKS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Accidents Occurring Between 1940 and Prior
1929
04/21/29 Maddux Airlines Ford Tri Motor #NC9636 collides with Army plane near San Diego
1930
1930 Old wooden airplane, possible Dole race contender, in Saline Valley.
01/19/30 Maddux Airlines Ford Tri Motor # NC989 crashed near Oceanside
05/26/30 Harold Catlin was killed in Lockheed Sirius crash at Muroc lake
04/29/32 Glider pilot, Lyle Armstrong, killed in a crash on Muroc Dry Lake
12/02/35 March Field pilot Karl Bauer killed at Muroc in his P-12C biplane
12/01/36 1936 United Airlines' Boeing 247D #NC13355 Crashed at Saugus
04/27/36 FF-1 # 9360 crashed 1.4mi.NW of Clover Field, Santa Monica, in Rustic Canyon
01-12-37 Western Air Express B247D NC13315. Near Newhall, CA. Crashed on approach to Burbank.
01/14/37 Plane Crash Kills 2 and Seriously Injures Famous Explorer Martin Johnson
05/19/38 1938 Lockheed Electra Crash in Mint Canyon
1940
01/18/40 Plane carrying Actor Patric Knowles shot down over Tehachapi by unknown rifleman.
01/23/40 Yellow Fairchild plane missing between Boulder City and Oakland, later found crashed in Altamont Pass near Livermore
01/28/40 Douglas B-18A Bolo crashed into mountain near Riverside killing 4 on board. Ice is blamed for crash.
01/29/40 Aileen Miller injured in crash at Compton Airport. Miller and a passenger were attempting a "spot landing" contest at the airport.
05/27/40 Douglas B-18A Bolo from March Field crashed and burned at Muroc lake
06/02/40 Douglas transport plane crashed in El Segundo killing four civilian crewmen during a naval test flight.
1941
05/09/41 Arlo Garrard, manager of Palm Springs Airport, an a student were killed when their silver mono-plane crashed at PS Airport.
06/10/41 2nd Lt. Joseph Marcy killed when his pursuit plane crashed near Dysart Ranch four-miles west of Banning
06/12/41 Army Sgt.'s. Jones and Hallen killed in Army plane near Desert Center
06/23/41 AT6 crashed in Eaton Canyon above Altadena
11/21/41 P38 crashes near Whitewater killing Lt. Ellery Gross of March Field.
11/29/41 Two killed when Piper Cub crashed into Granite Mountain south of Palmdale
12/04/41 A navy bomber crashed in flames two miles east of Poway killing all on board
12/18/41 The first wartime crash of B-26 twin-engined bomber at Muroc AAF
12/30/41 B26 #40-1494 crashed on Keller Peak near Lake Arrowhead
1942
01/17/42 Plane missing for 13 months found crashed on a mountainside near Cima. Reserve pilot Clyde Hussey was killed while ferrying a plane to Canada.
03/01/42 Instructor and student killed at Cal Aero field near Ontario when plane crashed into ground.
03/10/42 Sgt. Walter Blessing killed in crash of twin-engine trainer near I-395 south of Victorville AAF
03/12/42 Army trainer crashed and killed 2nd Lt. James White near Indian Springs, NV
03/13/42 Six men killed in crash of twin-engine bomber near Yoakum, TX. Pilot was Lt. JW Beauregard.
03/14/42 2nd Lt. George Hemmingway killed when his plane crashed into San Diego bay.
03/18/42 Five BT13's from Minter Filed crash in Tehachapi Mountains
03/27/42 Cadet Everett found on the eastern slope of the Tehachapi Mountains in his Vultee BT13
03/30/42 Lt. Lawrence Schietzhauer P38's crashed into the ocean five miles off Point Firmin
04/11/42 Five killed in crash of Army plane near Bagdad emergency landing field, north of Barstow. Pilot was 1st Lt Richard Ford, co-pilot 2nd Lt. Byron Vandenburg.
04/11/42 Gliders midair and crash near Condor Field at 29 Palms killing 2nd Lt. Earl Helm and Alexander Konchis.
04/18/42 Two instructors, 1st Lt. Albert Benton and 2nd Lt Curtis Elmer, from Victorville AAF, were killed when their BT15 crashed and burned near El Mirage lake.
04/25/42 BT13 on cross country flight to Santa Ana crashed near Cable four miles west of Tehachapi
05/01/42 Army trainer crashed on a hillside four miles west of Tehachapi
05/06/42 P-38 crashed at Muroc lake bed pilot killed when his parachute failed to open
06/12/42 Army Sgts. Jones and Hellenbeck of Blythe AAB killed in crash near Desert Center
07/01/42 B24 piloted by 1st Lt Robert Murphy crashed near March Field killing eight crewman.
07/02/42 21 killed in crash of Army transport, poss. DC-3, near Welch, W. VA.
07/03/42 Army Cadets Wayne Kiger and Harvey Jensen were killed when their bi-motored trainer crashed near the SFRR tracks between Helendale and Brisbane. Cadets were from Victorville AAF.
07/05/42 Two Navy ensigns killed when the Navy plane crashed into the Pacific near Imperial Beach
07/08/42 B24 crashed on mountainside north of Trenton, GA killing all on board.
07/08/42 USMC plane crashed in Prisoner's Bay between Santa Cruz Island and Santa Barbara. It's five occupants were able to swim safely ashore.
07/09/42 Army bomber crashed in corn field north of Smithfield, NC killing five crewmen
07/10/42 Donald Collins and Russell Kirkpatrick were killed near Needles when their AT-17 twin-engine bomber they were flying crashed in the desert.
07/31/42 Army twin-engined bomber crashed near Lucerne Dry Lake
08/03/42 P-39 crashed two miles north of Muroc Army base
08/13/42 P-39D crashed near Muroc killing the pilot
08/28/42 Another P-39D crashed near Muroc, killing its pilot
09/19/42 Unknown military plane crashed and burns east of Table Mountain near Wrightwood
09/21/42 SNJ-3 #10135 crashed 4mi.NE of Encenitas
10/02/42 B-25D #41-30114 from Victorville AAF crashed near Grey Butte Aux field
10/16/42 Actor Joe E. Brown's son Capt. Don Brown killed when his army bomber crashed 10 miles north of Palm Springs
10/23/42 American Airlines DC-3 NC16017 Midair with Army Boeing B-34 near Palm Springs
10/25/42 Piper Taylorcraft crashed near Kirkoff Grade north of Glendora
10/30/42 A20 piloted by Major Lindell hits Tehachapi Mountain 30 feet below summit
11/02/42 P-38 crashed at Muroc during routine target practice, killing its pilot
11/16/42 Pilot killed during his first flight in a P-38E at Muroc dry lake
11/20/42 P38 piloted by 1st Lt DF Sharpe from Van Nuys AAF crashed into Zuma Creek near Malibu killing the pilot.
11/25/42 Vultee BT13 crashed into a residence near 106th Street in Los Angeles
12/06/42 P-38F crashed ten miles north of Muroc, killing its pilot
12/07/42 BT19 crashed near 60th St. West in Lancaster
12/25/42 AT17 crashed on south slope of Tehachapi Mountains near Cluff Ranch in Gorman
12/29/42 B-24D destroyed in crash 25 miles north of Ludlow killing pilot Robert Johnson.
12/31/42 A-20A crashed on Muroc Air Base lake bed, killing its pilot
1943
01/31/43 Two killed in crash of an unknown type military plane in mountains above La Canada
02/02/43 C47 towing a glider exploded in air seven miles northeast Temescal Ranch in Castiac
02/13/43 RP-38E crashed near runway at Muroc, killing its pilot
02/23/43 P-38F crash eight miles from Muroc AAF
03/19/43 Marine Pilot Tony Gallo killed when his training plane crashed in Tehachapi
04/06/43 BT-13A flown by instructor William T. Nunn from Cal Aero School at Ontario AAF crashed on north slope of Mt. Lukens,
above La Crescenta, killing him instantly.
04/12/43 P38 crashed into LA Pet Cemetery near Topanga Canyon in the San Fernando Valley
05/20/43 BT13 trainer crashed near 130th West and Kern County line
06/04/43 Waco bi-plane crashed in Aqua Flora canyon near Acton
06/26/43 Vultee BT13 trainer crashed near AV Dude Ranch in Lancaster
06/30/43 P38 #213463 crashed at Wayside Honor Ranch in Castiac
07/01/43 Army trainer crashed near the AV Dude Ranch west of Palmdale
07/14/43 FM-1 #15012 crashed in Santa Ynez Mtns., near Santa Barbara
07/19/43 Marine trainer crashed near Rosamond south of Mojave
07/23/43 Navy trainer from Mojave MCAS crashed west of Tehachapi
07/30/43 Marine plane crashed while dog fighting two miles from Tehachapi
08/07/43 Nine killed in crash of B24 near Bieber, CA. Plane was piloted by 2nd Lt John Ballard
08/13/43 Marine pilot Philip Cottrell killed in plane crash in Jawbone Canyon north of Mojave
08/13/43 three tots and the pilot were killed when P38 crashed into housing area near Linda Vista (San Diego)
08/16/43 PT13 struck an Edison power line near the Saugus
09/01/43 Two pilots from Mojave MCAS killed in plane crash 10 miles from Mojave
09/07/43 Marine pilot killed in crash near Mojave
09/15/43 SBD-5 #29018 crashed in Wagner Cayon NE of San Juan Capistrano
09/16/43 Vultee BT13 hits Joshua tree and crashed in desert near Lancaster
10/08/43 XP-56 blows a tire, overturns, and is destroyed on Muroc dry lake
10/09/43 Grumman FM-1 (Wildcat) crashed near MCAS Mojave field
11/04/43 B24 bomber found on Cucamonga Peak above San Bernardino
11/11/43 P38 from Metropolitan Airport, Van Nuys, in desert east of Lancaster
11/12/43 BT13 #42-42948 crashed into the Palos Verdes Hills
11/19/43 Capt. Richard Davis killed in mid-air crash over Palm Springs
11/30/43 Two Navy pilots killed when their F6F's mid-aired near Bassett Lake in San Diego County
12/02/43 P38 Crash Lands in Mojave Desert North of Lancaster
1944
01/03/44 B-24J crashed into mountain 25 miles east of Muroc
01/12/44 Test pilot Gustav Pitcarin killed when his P51 Mustang crashed near Redondo Beach
01/17/44 B-24D #42-40193 crashed near Victorville
01/17/44 BT13 crashed and sinks into Lake Arrowhead near Totem Pole Point
01/18/44 P38 crashed into house located near 253rd Street in Lomita
02/17/44 Two Mojave MCAS pilots killed in mid-air collision 20 miles north of Mojave
02/20/44 Four men perish in crash of military transport plane 30 miles south of Muroc
02/23/44 P39 crashed 20 miles NE of Thermal AAF killing pilot Conrad Prager
02/24/44 PV-1 #49467 Ventura bomber on checkout FLT prior to DEL to NAS NORVA; crashed into side
of MTN, 50'FRM TOP IN SNOW STORM,6mi.SW,PALMDALE
03/02/44 Lockheed PV1 Ventura Bomber Crash
03/03/44 B24 from San Bernardino AAF crashed into mountainside 13 miles NW of base killing pilot Allan Hassen and three others
03/05/44 Two marine pilots killed in crash near Mojave MCAS
03/08/44 Marine Capt. Harold Trenchard killed in crash NE of Mojave
03/10/44 Lt.'s Lader, Marlien and Sanders from El Centro MCAS killed in mid-air near Beaumont
03/24/44 BT-15 crashed in hills near Grey Butte field, north of Pearblossom
03/24/44 P38 #42-13495 from Palmdale AAF crashed near Littlerock
04/09/44 B24 crashed three miles west of Mojave
04/12/44 FG-1A #13681 crashed 22mi.E MCAS El Toro
04/28/44 Army training plane, flying from Long Beach to Merced, crashed northwest of Tehachapi
05/05/44 FG-1 #13712 crashed 6mi.E.MCAS El Toro on Trabuco Mtn
05/17/44 Army plane crashed near Saddle Peak above Malibu
05/19/44 Two Vultee BT13's Crash Into Lake Near Lancaster
05/21/44 Lt. Col. Morley, commander of Muroc AAB, killed in A-24B crash southwest of base
05/27/44 Navy PV-1 #V-618 bomber from San Pedro NAS crashed in field in Palmdale
05/28/44 P38 crashed in Rancho San Vincente, near Walnut
06/05/44 C46 #112363 crashed into Mt. Williamson southeast of Pearblossom
06/13/44 P38 Lightening crashed into the Bradbury Estate, near Duarte
06/18/44 P-38 was destroyed in a crash near Avenue "N" in Palmdale
06/20/44 BT13 crashed in Ice House Canyon in Angeles Forest
06/27/44 Two P-38s mid-air northwest of Muroc AAF
07/02/44 B-24J #42-50780 crashed five miles north of Boron
07/06/44 P38 #43-28888 crashed near Kagel canyon above Sunland
07/14/44 B24J crashed 17 miles north of Shavers Summit killing pilot Sidney Smith and two others, nine other crewmen parachuted to safety
07/14/44 P-63A Kingcobra # 42-69034 crashed 15 miles southwest of Muroc
07/15/44 Army plane crashed in McCoy canyon near Malibu
07/30/44 FG-1A #13723 crashed 3mi.SW Trabuco Plateau near El Toro
07/31/44 Capt. Shaw, first marine ace of WWII, killed in Corsair crash near Mojave MCAS
08/01/44 TB-24J #42-78522 and a B-24D #42-72862 mid-air over Death Valley
08/04/44 B24 Crashed in Death Valley
08/24/44 B24 Crashed In Alfalfa Field near Lancaster
09/01/44 Marine Corsair #13811 from Mojave MCAS crashed near Oak Creek in Tehachapi
09/03/44 SB2C-1A #75498 crashed 16mi.NW of MCAS El Toro
09/20/44 P38 Hits Just Below Ridgeline Near Mount Wilson
01/02/44 BT13 cashed into a mountain nine-miles SW of Pal Springs AAF, pilot William Mann escaped with minor injuries
10/02/44 B25 crashed 25 miles west of Victorville near Gray Butte landing field
10/05/44 P31 from Muroc AAB crashed onto Rosamond Dry Lake
10/05/44 P-63A crashed on Rosamond Dry Lake, killing its pilot
10/06/44 C46 crashed into the 6000' level of Mount Hawkins in the Angeles Forest
10/07/44 2nd Lt Harvey Delsatti was rescued after his C-78 airplane crashed 40-miles NE of LA in the San Gabriel Mountains
10/11/44 TBF-1 #24516 from NOTS Inyokern crashed 1W of Palmdale
10/13/44 XFR-1 #48232 hit mtn top before crashed in Sycamore Canyon near San Diego
10/20/44 B24J "Liberator" # 42-41444 Lost in Saline Valley
11/03/44 P38 # 42- 23471 crashed near Ave I and 10th St. East in Lancaster
11/07/44 P38 from 441st AAF Base Unit at Van Nuys, crashed in Little Tujunga canyon
11/16/44 C47 #6143 Crashed In Wildcat Gulch Near Mount Wilson
11/24/44 SB2C-1A #75525 crashed on Plano Trabuco in Orange CO.
12/01/44 P-80A # 44-83024 collides with B-25 near Boron
12/01/44 C60 from Hondo, TX crashed on Bear Mountain north of Tehachapi.
12/11/44 Navy Hellcat Crashed East of Palmdale
12/11/44 B-24J crashed at Muroc, killing one crewman.
12/14/44 Five killed in mid-air crash of medium bomber and fighter near Boron.
12/21/44 Corsair crashed 10 miles east of Mojave MCAS
12/21/44 Beech AT11 and Vultee BT13 mid-air northeast for Littlerock.
12/22/44 B24 from Muroc crashed near Mount Gleason after an explosion in air.
12/24/44 Two Corsair's midair near Mojave MCAS.
12/24/44 BT13 crashed while searching for B24 near Mount Gleason in the Angeles Forest.
1945
01/10/45 American Airlines DC-3 #NC25684 crashed near Burbank, CA killing 24
01/17/45 P38 Crash Lands West of Gray Butte Landing Field
01/20/45 B-24J # 2-78621 was destroyed in a crash two miles SE of Muroc AAF.
01/25/45 B24 crashed near Muroc AAB
02/06/45 P51 crashed in the Cummings Valley south of Tehachapi.
02/28/45 B24J crashed 10 SSE from Thermal AAF killing pilot Norris Hall and nine others.
03/12/45 FG-1A #14569 crashed 30mi.NE NAAS 29 Palms
03/16/45 Taylorcraft B-65 # NC24493 crashed near Charlaton Flats in Angeles Crest
03/19/45 FM-2 crashed on Highway 99 near Newhall
03/20/45 XP-80A prototype # 44-83021 crashed six miles southeast of Rosamond
03/29/45 B-24 from Victorville AAF crashed near Kramer Junction.
04/07/45 Navy TBM-3 crashed near Palos Verdes
04/11/45 Aircraft # 43-35012 from Long Beach crashed on 6250-foot mountain near Tehachapi.
04/13/45 P-38 crashed on Searles Dry Lake, 20 miles east of Ridgecrest.
04/19/45 C-45 crashed at Rattlesnake Butte, Colorado, killing five Muroc airmen.
04/19/45 P38 Crashed Into Mountainside Above Acton
05/16/45 P51 # 44-7418 from Palmdale AAF crashed near Ave J and 10th Street East in Lancaster.
06/11/45 SBD-6 crashed forty miles northeast of Mojave
06/30/45 A-24 #42-54570 crashed on takeoff at Palmdale Airport
07/09/45 P-80 was destroyed during a dead-stick landing at Muroc
07/17/45 AT6 dispatched from Minter Field to investigate fire crashed into Double Mountain
07/18/45 B-24 from Victorville AAF crashed 15 miles southeast of Muroc.
07/31/45 Capt. Shaw, Marine Corps ace, killed when his Corsair crashed at Mojave MCAS
08/01/45 TBF from El Toro MCAS crashed on a bombing range near Mojave
08/06/45 Dick Bong, the "Ace Of Aces" lost his life while testing a Lockheed P-80 shortly after
takeoff from Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank
09/12/45 Northrop's XP-79B Flying Ram crashed and was destroyed at Muroc
09/13/45 Mysterious disappearance of a Navy Hellcat reported lost near Trona.
09/21/45 An AT-6D was destroyed in a crash at Muroc, killing its pilot.
09/23/45 Navy SNJ trainer #112349 crashed on Monrovia Peak
09/23/45 AT-6 crashes on Mt MacDill south of Palmdale killing Muroc pilot 1Lt. Walter W. Dirrim
09/27/45 Taylorcraft crashed in Stough canyon near of Verdugo peak Fire Lookout
10/01/45 TBM-3 from Mojave MCAS crashed near Palmdale
10/05/45 C46 Commando Crashed on 10,060 foot Mount Baldy
10/21/45 First flight of Northrop's YB-49 Flying Wing bomber
10/21/45 A P-61 escorting the YB49 bomber caught fire and crashed near Palmdale
10/29/45 TBM "Avenger" from NAS Goleta crashed near Palmdale
11/26/45 YP-84 caught fire at 40,000 ft and crashed. Plane piloted by 1 Lt. Robert "Bob" Hoover
1946
01/01/46 Stinson 150 crashed and burns near Mullholland Drive
02/02/46 Stearman PT-27 crashed and burns at Liberty Field near Lancaster
03/03/46 American Airlines DC-3 #NC21799 crashed on Thing Mountain near San Diego.
04-24-46 Western Air Lines DC-3A NC33621. North Hollywood, CA.Test flight following maintenance.
04/26/46 PT17 trainer crashed at Barnes Field near Rosamond
06/04/46 B-29 # 44-83973 crashed while making an emergency landing on Muroc Dry Lake.
08/02/46 PB4Y-2 #59397 crashed 25mi.S MCAS Miramar
08/26/46 P-80B crashed on the bombing range at Muroc killing its pilot.
12/04/46 Western Airlines DC3 #NC-18645 crashed on White Mountain in Ventura County
1947
02/28/47 Private plane crashed on a snow covered mountain on Porter Ranch near Inyokern
03/19/47 Private plane crashed in the east fork of Brand Canton above Glendale
04/19/47 Twin-Cessna # NC-67183 crashed near Tunnel Bridge on Highway 99 in Newhall.
04/20/47 SNJ-5 #52009 crashed 4mi.NE Glendora
05/08/47 Piper J-3 "Cub" # NC-88642 crashed near Monrovia Peak.
07/08/47 AT6 belonging to the Army Reserve in Long Beach crashed near Altadena.
10/21/47 P61 "Black Widow" # 38322 crashed near Suson's Ranch east of Palmdale
10/30/47 A26 from March Field crashed while enroute from March to Lockheed Airport in Burbank.
11/26/47 RA "Bob" Hoover bailout from P-84B (54-59502) near Neenach east of Palmdale.
12/12/47 Stearman biplane # NC-57215 crashed into Oat Mountain above Chatsworth
12/22/47 Two Navy F6F's # 72501&79840 collided in mid-air near Lebec
1948
05/03/48 NACA D-558-l Skystreak crashed at Muroc killing test pilot Howard Lilly
05/13/48 Nordyn Norseman crashed in Saucer Canyon above Sierra Madre.
06/05/48 Northrup YB-49 crashed northeast of the Muroc killing pilot Capt. Glen Edwards.
09/09/48 Capt. James Fitzgerald, one of the first X-l test pilots, killed in F-80 crash at Van Nuys.
09/20/48 B-45 was crashed after a mid-air fire and explosion near Bakersfield
10/20/48 Vultee BT13 crashed two miles north of Pennsylvania Avenue in La Crescenta.
11-25-48 Transcontinental & Western Air L-049 NC90824. Los Angeles, CA. Landing.
12/03/48 C-47 crashed into a low hill at night 30 miles east of Muroc
12/30/48 Private plane crashed in the Tehachapi Mountains.
1949
1949 Two F-86's crashed mid-air near Quail lake south of Gorman
02/10/49 Navy JR-B twin-engine Beech plane from China Lake crashed in the Sierra's
03/02/49 F84 "Fury" jet crashed 50 miles northwest of Bakersfield.
03/02/49 Two USMC Hellcats Crash On Mount Baldy
03/02/49 Navy F4U "Corsair" # 97448 crashed on Santa Cruz Island
03/05/49 F4U Corsair found crashed on Santa Cruz Island.
03/10/49 B25 crashed in rain 17 miles northwest of Rosamond
06/10/49 Two F86 "Sabre" fighters from March Field mid-air over Gorman
06/16/49 Navy R4D crashed in Dry Canyon south of Mulholland Drive in the City of Los Angeles.
06/28/49 Private plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Palos Verdes.
07/12/49 Standard Airlines Curtiss C-46E #N79978 crashed into a mountain near Chatsworth on approach to Burbank.
07/25/49 Aronca Champion #N-84849 crashed near Iron Mountain five miles south of Ravena.
07/25/49 Standard Air Lines C46 # NC-79978 crashed Chatsworth Peak
08/28/49 Private plane # NC-48635 crashed near Lopez and Kagel Canyons in Sunland
09/21/49 National Guard F51 #NG-4-73080 crashed in Gold Canyon above Pacomia.
10/30/49 Piper Cub #NC-88013 crashed in Haskell Canyon near Saugus.
11/03/49 Plane lights and aircraft seen spinning and then vanish near Randsburg.
P51 Hits Mountain Above Ojai
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