1946 – April 4, USN R4D-6 transport hits mountain at night ~15M SE Albuquerque, NM–11     

Latest edit 11-8-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  11  ASN. Accident description. USN Douglas R4D-6…04 Apr 1946…SE of Albuquerque…

—  11  Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). 10-27-2011 rev.

—  11  Cumberland Times, MD. “Eleven Killed in Navy Plane Crash.” 4-7-1946, p. 2.

—  11  Hutchinson News Herald, KS. “Navy Transport Crash Kills 11.” 4-6-1946, p. 1.

—  11  Sheboygan Press, WI. “Plane Crash Takes Lives of 11 People.” 4-5-1946, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Sfety Foundation, Database, 1946, p. 10:

“Date:                          Thursday 4 April 1946

“Type:                         Douglas R4D-6 (DC-3)

“Operator:                   United States Navy

“Registration:              50771

“MSN:                         26326/14881

“First flight:                1944

“Crew:                         Fatalities:   3 / Occupants:   3

“Passengers:                Fatalities:   8 / Occupants:   8

“Total:                         Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11

….

“Location:                   21 km (13.1 mls) SE of Albuquerque-Kirtland AAF, NM (ABQ) – USA

“Phase:                        En route (ENR)

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      Phoenix (unknown airport), A, USA

“Destination airport:   Amarillo AAF, TX…USA

“Narrative:                  Hit mountain at night. The airplane was en route from Phoenix, AZ to

Amarillo, TX.”

Baugher: “Douglas R4D-6….50771 hit mountain at night near Kirtland AAF Apr 4, 1946. 11 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). 10-27-2011 revision.)

Newspapers

April 5, Associated Press: “Albuquerque, N.M. – (AP) – State Police Capt. T. E. Jackson said today that 11 bodies had been removed and brought here from the wreckage of a navy transport plane which crashed 13 miles southeast of Albuquerque. He said the wrecked ship was located at a remote spot in the sandhills near the Isleta Indian Pueblo. Incomplete reports indicated it did not burn….Rescuers sent out from Kirtland field here were still at the scene. The ship, based at Olathe, Kans., naval air station and en route from Phoenix, Ariz., to Amarillo, Tex., crashed about 9:21 p.m. (MST), five minutes after radio contact with Kirtland. Olathe authorities said eight passengers and three crew members were aboard…”  (Sheboygan Press, WI.  “Plane Crash Takes Lives of 11 People.” 4-5-1946, p. 1.)

April 5: “Albuquerque, N.M., April 5 (AP)…. Observers said parts of the plane were strewn for 150 yards on the remote Hell’s Canyon road four miles east of Isleta Indian Pueblo….”  (Cumberland Times, MD. “Eleven Killed in Navy Plane Crash.” 4-7-1946, p. 2.)

April 6: “Albuquerque (AP)…. The plane appeared to have hit the ground once, bounced and exploded. Parts of the craft were sprayed for 150 yards. Residents in Albuquerque and troops at Kirtland saw a flash from the explosion. Military and state police searching squads were dispatched to the area immediately, but it was not until mid-day that state police made the first report on the crash, disclosing that 11 bodies had been removed to an Albuquerque mortuary.” (Hutchinson News Herald, KS. “Navy Transport Crash Kills 11.” 4-6-1946, p. 1.)

April 6: “Olathe, Kas., April 6 (AP) – The Olathe naval base announced Saturday that the plane which crashed 13 miles southeast of Albuquerque, N.M., Thursday night was in the field’s Sqdn. 3 which had flown 153,000,000 passenger miles and carried 134,000 passengers safely since the last crash March 14, 1945.” (Albuquerque Journal, NM. “Plane Had Long Record.” 4-7-1946, 2)

Sources

Albuquerque Journal, NM.  “Plane Had Long Record.” 4-7-1946, p. 2.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=49135376

Aviation Safety Network.  Accident description. United States Navy Douglas R4D-6 (DC-3)… 04 Apr 1946…SE of Albuquerque… http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19460404-0

Baugher, Joseph F.  US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). Oct 27, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries6.html

Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. “Eleven Killed in Navy Plane Crash.” 4-7-1946, p. 2. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=96704367

Hutchinson News-Herald, KS. “Navy Transport Crash Kills 11.” 4-6-1946, p. 1. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=138300055

Sheboygan Press, WI. “Plane Crash Takes Lives of 11 People [near Albuquerque NM].” 4-5-1946, p. 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=8436885