1946 — Nov 13, Western Air 23 crash (descended too soon in snow storm), White Mt., Lebec, CA–11
Latest edit 11-4-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11 Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Western Air Lines, 13 Nov 1946.
–11 Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-57213 to 42-70685). Sep 6, 2011 rev.
–11 CAB. Accident Investigation Report. Western Air Lines – Lebec, California, Nov 13, 1948
–11 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AIFM&P, 3/1, Mar 1982, p. 53.
–11 National Fire Protect. Assoc. “Large Loss Fires of 1946.” Quarterly, 40/3, Jan 1947, 247.
–11 Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.”
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper….68735…to RFC Apr 10, 1945. Converted to DC-3A and leased to Western Airlines and registered NC18645. Crashed Nov 13, 1946 near Lebec, CA. All 11 onboard killed.” (Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-57213 to 42-70685). 9-6-2011.)
Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Investigation Report (Western Air Lines, Inc. 11-13-1946):
“The Accident
“Western Air Lines Flight 23, a Douglas DC-3, NC-18645, en route from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Burbank, California, crashed on the north slope of White Mountain, 14 miles south of Lebec, California, at 0341, November 13, 1946. The aircraft was demolished by impact and subsequent fire, and all 11 occupants were fatally injured.[1]
“History of the Flight
“Flight 23 originated at Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and had made several scheduled stops prior to arriving at Salt Lake City, Utah. At Salt Lake City the crew was changed and the flight continued to Las Vegas. The flight departed Las Vegas for Burbank, November 13, at 0150, on an instrument flight plan to cruise at 10,000 feet, with a standard instrument approach on the Los Angeles radio range and contact flight from Los Angeles to Burbank. Long Beach, California, was the designated alternate airport.
“Flight 23 reported passing over Daggett, California, at 0249 at 10,000 feet ‘on instruments,’ estimating Palmdale, California, at 0319. The company radio, at the request of Airway Traffic Control, contacted Flight 23 to ask if it would accept a Palmdale crossing of 8,000 feet. Flight 23 acknowledged receipt of this message at 0302 and two minutes later inquired as to the height of the cloud tops over Palmdale and Newhall, California. The flight was informed that it would not be on top of the clouds at 8,000 feet.
“At ATC clearance to proceed at 8,000 feet, and to cross Newhall and Los Angeles at this altitude, was transmitted to Flight 23 at 0310. Flight 23 immediately requested the clearance be checked with the company dispatcher as 9,000 feet was the company’s minimum instrument altitude over Palmdale. While the company dispatcher was checking with ATC on this clearance, an amended ATC clearance was transmitted by the company radio for the flight to cruise at 10,000 feet over Palmdale and 8,000 feet over Newhall. The flight questioned the clearance of 8,000 feet over New hall, but was informed by the company dispatcher that this was an approved altitude.
“At 0314, Flight 23 reported passing over Palmdale one minute earlier at 10,000 feet, flying on instruments, estimating Newhall at 0323, and requesting an altitude of 10,000 feet over Newhall in lieu of the previous clearance of 8,000 feet. Before ATC could be contacted with this request, an amended clearance was transmitted to cross Newhall at 8,000 feet, Los Angeles at 4,000 feet and to report when leaving even thousand foot levels between Newhall and Los Angeles.
“In reply to Flight 23’s request for 10,000 feet over Newhall, an amended ATC clearance was transmitted at 0321 to cruise at 9,000 feet over Newhall, the rest of the previous clearance to remain the same. ATC was unable to approve the request for 10,000 feet due to traffic. The 9,000 foot altitude across Newhall was acceptable to Flight 23.
“At 0324, Flight 23 reported over Newhall at 9,000 feet. At 0331 the company radio, at the request of ATC, asked Flight 23 to report its altitude. The flight replied that it was at 8,500 feet and that it had started descending at 0339. At 0337, four minutes before the accident, final clearance was issued by ATC and acknowledgement obtained. This was the final contact with the flight.
“Investigation
“Air search for the missing aircraft was confined to lower levels the day of the 13th due to clouds obscuring all levels above 5,000 feet. The weather began to clear on the 14th, but the wreckage was not discovered until the morning of November 15. The aircraft was barely visible from the air due to the wooded area into which it had crashed and the snow which had fallen since the accident. The wreckage was still smoldering which aided In its location. Due to the isolated location of the wreckage, snow, terrain and other adverse conditions it was not reached until early afternoon of the 18th.
“The crash occurred on the northern slope of White Mountain at an elevation of 5,900 feet, approximately 75 feet from the crest….
“Initial Impact was made with trees which indicated that the aircraft was…in a near level attitude. The aircraft was demolished as it continued through the trees to the ground. And the subsequent fire consumed the major portions of the aircraft and made it difficult to identify many parts.
“Examination of the aircraft, engines and radio revealed no evidence of failure or malfunctioning, nor was there evidence of fire before impact. Inspection of propellers and engines indicated power was being developed by both engines on impact. Both of the aircraft’s automatic direction finder radio receivers were tuned to the Los Angeles range frequency. Inspection of the company maintenance records indicated that the aircraft was in an airworthy condition prior to origin of the flight….
“Testimony of pilots who flew in the area before and after the accident indicated…that only a moderate amount of turbulence was encountered.
“The terminal forecast indicated that contact flight rule weather would exist in the Los Angeles area except for occasional instrument conditions due to a lowering of the ceiling. The route forecast indicated that instrument conditions would exist at the clearance altitude of 10,000 feet, contact conditions at lower altitudes at various places in route, and that the mountains in the Lebec-Palmdale-Newhall area would be obscured by clouds. Rain was indicated at lower levels, snow about 5,000 feet, icing in the clouds above 5,500 feet and light to moderate turbulence was expected over all mountain areas. Forecast winds were from 170 degrees, 30 miles per hour from 5,000 to 7,000 feet and from 180 degrees, 40 miles per hour from 8,000 to 15,000 feet….
“Discussion
“It appears, from a study of the company radio log, that the pilots of Flight 23 were very much occupied from the time the flight was first contacted after passing Daggett and until four minutes before the time of the accident in obtaining a clearance to cross over Palmdale and Newhall at an altitude that was acceptable and in receiving a clearance into Burbank….
“….Weather Bureau testimony indicated that winds of 60 miles per hour could have existed over the mountainous area. Pilots flying in the mountainous area within a period of 45 minutes before and after Flight 23, estimated wind velocities of 60 to 80 miles per hour from a southerly and southeasterly direction, but this information was not transmitted to a ground station by them….This increased wind velocity would have given the flight an increase in right drift….
“The location of the crash suggests that the flight experienced difficulty in following the southwest leg of the Palmdale range or was flying off airways to the right in order to maintain 10,000 feet altitude, the altitude at which the captain desired to cross Newhall. Had the flight remained on the airway, a descent to 9,000 feet would have been required between Palmdale and Newhall. Due to the high velocity of the wind in this area, the drift to the north was much more than anticipated and, as the flight was on instruments a ground check of the position was not possible….
“Findings
….
“10. The position report ‘over Newhall’ was in error.
“11. The let-down was started without a positive check on the position.
….
“Probable Cause
“The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the action of the pilot in making an instrument letdown without previously establishing a positive radio fix. This action was aggravated by conditions of severe static, wind in excess of anticipated velocities, preoccupation with an unusual amount of radio conversation, and the inoperative Newhall radio range.” (Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Western Air Lines Inc – Lebec, California, November 13, 1948. Washington, DC: CAB, Nov 28, 1947.)
National Fire Protection Association: “Nov. 13, near Burbank, Calif. Aircraft. Over $250,000.
During a heavy snow storm, a Western Air Lines transport plane crashed on White Mountain, carrying all 11 passengers and crew members to their deaths. The victims were burned beyond identification and the fuselage gutted. Air line officials estimated the plane carried over 300 gallons of gasoline at the time of the accident.” (National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss Fires of 1946.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 40, No. 3, Jan 1947, pp. 179-248, p. 247.)
Notable California Aviation Disasters:
“Date / Time: Wednesday, November 13, 1946 / 3:41 a.m.
”Operator / Flight No.: Western Air Lines / Flight 23
”Location: Near Gorman, Calif.
“Details and Probable Cause: Originating at Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, on Tuesday, November 12, Western Air Lines Flight 23, utilizing a twin-engine Douglas C-53D-DO aircraft (NC18645), made several scheduled stops in Montana and Idaho before arriving at Salt Lake City, Utah.
“After a crew change at Salt Lake City, the airliner, a derivative of the twin-engine DC-3, continued on to Las Vegas, Nevada. It then departed Las Vegas at 1:50 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13, bound for the Lockheed Air Terminal at Burbank.
“The flight to Burbank was proceeding routinely and the aircraft reported over Daggett, at 2:49 a.m., “on instruments.” From Daggett the plane would then pass over Palmdale and follow the southwest leg of the Palmdale radio range to an intersection above the Newhall radio range, where the aircraft would make a 90-degree turn south onto the northwest leg of the Los Angeles radio range and begin its descent into Burbank. The Newhall range station was shut down for an equipment upgrade, but all pilots flying the route had been notified of this development and the lack of this facility did not constitute ‘an undue hazard’ for planes making an instrument approach to the Los Angeles region.
“At 3:24 a.m. the DC-3 reported being ‘over Newhall’ at 9,000 feet and, at 3:37 a.m., final clearance was issued by air traffic control, a message that was acknowledged by the flight crew. It was the final contact made with Flight 23, and when no further word was heard from the plane an alert was issued.
“The ensuing all-day air search yielded no clues, but the low overcast obscured the terrain above the 5,000-foot level. Clearing weather conditions prevailed on the 14th, and on the morning of Friday, November 15, rescuers spotted the still-smoldering wreckage of the ill-fated airliner. It had crashed into the northern slope of White Mountain at an elevation of 5,900 feet, approximately 75 feet below the summit of the peak and roughly 14 miles south of Lebec and just west of Pyramid Lake.
“Due to the isolated location of the wreckage, snow, rugged terrain and other adverse conditions, ground parties did not reach the site until the early afternoon of Monday, November 18. The plane, in near-level flight, had cut a swath through trees, disintegrated and burned, killing all 11 persons on board.
“In investigating the accident, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) noted that, from the time Flight 23 was near Palmdale until shortly before it crashed, there had been an ‘unusual’ amount of radio conversations, involving the doomed plane, ground controllers and other flights, due primarily to severe static conditions present at the time that were hampering radio transmissions. Also, other pilots flying in the region reported that winds in the area were much stronger than weather reports indicated.
“Therefore, investigators speculated that when the pilot of Flight 23 reported as being ‘over Newhall,’ the plane actually was passing significantly north of Newhall, possibly blown off course while flying in rain and 70 m.p.h. winds. Thus, when the aircraft intercepted the Los Angeles range and turned south, a descent was initiated while the plane was still over the mountainous terrain between Lebec and Burbank.
“The CAB investigation determined that the crash was due to the action of the pilot in command, in beginning an instrument descent without first establishing a positive radio fix — especially in light of the fact that the Newhall radio range was inoperable.
“Contributing factors in the accident were conditions of severe static; high winds in excess of anticipated velocities; the cockpit crew’s preoccupation with an unusual amount of radio conversations; and the inoperative Newhall radio range station.
“Fatalities: 11 — all 8 passengers and 3 crew members.” (Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.”)
Sources
Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Western Air Lines, 13 Nov 1946. Accessed 2/7/2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19461113-0
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-57213 to 42-70685). Sep 6, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-15-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3a.html
Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Western Air Lines Inc – Lebec, California, November 13, 1948. Washington, DC: CAB, Nov 28, 1947, 8 pages. Accessed 11-4-2023 at: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33288
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.
National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss Fires of 1946.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 40, No. 3, Jan 1947, pp. 179-248.
Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.” Sep 25, 2009 update. Accessed 10/17/2009 at: http://www.jaydeebee1.com/crash40s.html (No longer operable.)
[1] Eight passengers and crew of three. “Wreckage of Missing Airliner Discovered Near Ridge Route.” Oakland Tribune, Nov. 15, 1946, p. 4.