1942 — Jan 16, TWA Flight 3 (with Carole Lombard), Hits Potosi Peak, NV 22
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 6-29-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–22 Lostflights. Commercial Aviation Archaeology, 1/16/42 T&WA (TWA)…DC-3 Potosi Mt., NV.
–22 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents…[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 43.
–22 Winnipeg Free Press, “Carole Lombard Is Believed Killed in Plane Crash,” Jan 17, 1942.
–21 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AMJFMP, 3/1, Mar 1982, 53.
Narrative Information
Lostflights.com, Commercial Aviation Archaeology: “Transcontinental & Western Air Flight 3, a Douglas DC-3 (NC1946) was a scheduled transcontinental coast to coast flight originating from New York City with the ultimate destination of Burbank/Los Angeles, California. Unlike today’s commercial transcontinental flights, Flight 3 was to make several stops as it made its way across the country. One scheduled stop it made in the early morning hours of January 16, 1942 was Indianapolis, Indiana where the flight boarded several passengers including actress Carole Lombard, her mother Elizabeth Peters, and MGM Studio Agent Otto Winkler. Lombard and company had just completed a successful cross-country trip selling two million dollars worth of war bonds to support the war efforts.
“At 5:27 AM, the flight departed Indianapolis and continued west until it reached St. Louis. Taking on cargo, the flight was delayed nearly two hours by a layer of early morning fog that reduced visibility to less than one quarter of a mile. At 9:03 AM, the fog lifted and the flight continued on with more scheduled stops and strong headwinds.
“By the time Flight 3 reached Albuquerque, New Mexico it was running more than three hours late. More delays were experienced in Albuquerque as passengers and cargo had to be removed in order to make room for fifteen military pilots and crew who had war time travel priority. Initially, the Lombard trio was removed from the flight but Carole insisted that their group had priority due to her participation in the war bond tour. The gate agent not wanting to argue with the obviously irritated Lombard, allowed her party to continue their trip. An aircraft crew change also took place in Albuquerque. Now in command of Flight 3 would be Captain Wayne Williams, Co-pilot Morgan Gillette, and Air Hostess Alice Getz.
“Under the normal planned route, the flight would have been able to continue direct to its final destination however the extra weight of passengers, cargo and headwinds required an en route fuel stop at Las Vegas, Nevada. At 4:40 PM, Flight 3 departed Albuquerque for the Las Vegas Air Terminal which unlike Boulder City (TWA Terminal) had lighted runways. It was 6:37 PM by the time Flight 3 landed at Las Vegas. This stop was quick. Just enough time to take on more fuel, have passengers stretch their legs, and for Hostess Getz to top off the two galley containers with hot coffee.
“At 7:07 PM, Flight 3 departed runway 34 and began its climb across the Las Vegas Valley. The night of January 16th was dark and moonless as the DC-3 leveled off at its planned cruising altitude of 8,000 feet. The night was made even darker with the government’s decision to blackout the lighted airway beacons due to wartime national security threats.
“With the passenger cabin lights comfortably dimmed. Up front in the cockpit, Captain Williams probably had the instrument and cockpit flood lights turned up to set the power for cruise flight. Perhaps Co-pilot Gillette was busy with a navigation chart or trying to confirm their course. Regardless of the reason or task at hand, neither pilot noticed the selected course was sending them into the snowcapped 8,500 foot Potosi Mountain.
“The collision with the vertical cliff of Potosi Mountain was devastating and all 22 passengers and crew were killed instantly. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigators were never able to determine why the flight flew off course and into mountainous terrain.” (Lostflights. Commercial Aviation Archaeology, 1/16/42 T&WA (TWA) Douglas DC-3 Potosi Mt., NV.)
Mireles: “At 1923 PST, a Douglas DC-3 Skyclub Transport operated by Transcontinental & Western Airlines as TWA Flight #3 collided with the 7,769 foot level of 8,304-foot Potosi Peak 33 miles southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, killing the civilian crew of three and nineteen passengers. Four of the passengers were civilians and fifteen were officers and enlisted men serving with the Army Air Force Ferry Command, Long Beach, California. Flight 3 had stopped in Las Vegas to refuel on the final leg from New York to Los Angeles.
“After a short time on the ground the fully fueled DC-3 took off, becoming airborne at 1907 local time. The pilots had been advised to fly a 208-degree course out of Las Vegas and climb to 10,000 feet. The pilot flew a 218-degree course and began a slow climb to 8,000 feet at a speed of about 150 mph. At 1923, the DC-3 slammed into Potosi Peak…and exploded into flames upon impact. The bodies of the 22 victims were badly mutilated and several burned beyond recognition.
“Investigation revealed that the collision with terrain was a result of the pilots being ten degrees off course, flying at an altitude lower than known obstacles in the area, and their failure to see the mountain on a dark, moonless night….
“Killed in the crash…[was] Carole Lombard, 33, Los Angeles, California, screen actress for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and wife of screen actor Clark Gable… Carole Lombard was returning to California from a government sponsored war bond rally in Indianapolis during which she sold $2 million worth of war bonds. Because of her successful war bond sales her group was allowed to remain on the government-chartered flight at Albuquerque. Reportedly a coin flip decided whether the Lombard entourage would return to Los Angeles by rail or by air.” (Mireles 2006, pp. 43-44.)
Newspaper
Jan 17, Winnipeg Free Press: “Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 17. (BUP)— Film Star Clark Gable joined ground crews of hard rock miners, Indian trail blazers and soldiers hewing a path up Table Rock mountain today in search of the wreckage of a large air transport in which his actress wife, Carole Lombard, and 21 others are believed to have perished. The plane crashed and burned in the desolate Potosi mountains near here last night…. Clark county peace officers recruited Tweed Wilson, septuagenarian Indian, to aid in the search.” (Winnipeg Free Press, “Carole Lombard Is Believed Killed in Plane Crash,” January 17, 1942)
“Miss Lombard was accompanied by her mother and publicity representative, Otto Winkler, returning from Indianapolis, Ind., where Miss Lombard had appeared at a defense bond sales rally. Also on the Transcontinental and Western Airway passenger plane were 15 officers and
men of the army ferry command stationed at Long Beach, Calif. Miss Lois Hamilton of Detroit was the only other passenger.” (Winnipeg Free Press. “Carole Lombard Is Believed Killed in Plane Crash,” January 17, 1942)
Sources
Eckert, William G. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 1982, Table 1.
Lostflights. Commercial Aviation Archaeology, 1/16/42 T&WA (TWA) Douglas DC-3 Potosi Mt., NV. Accessed at: http://lostflights.smugmug.com/gallery/5007934_3mUMB
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 1: Introduction, January 1941 – June 1943). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.
Winnipeg Free Press. “Carole Lombard Is Believed Killed in Plane Crash,” Jan. 17, 1942. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FreePdfViewer.aspx?topic=Carole+Lombard+is+Believed+Killed+in+Plane+Crash&img=42073185&terms=Lombard&dpviewdate=01%2f16%2f2009&firstvisit=true