1950 — Nov 21, New Tribe Mission DC-3 Plane Crash, Mount Moran, WY                —     21

–21  AP. “21 Are Feared Dead In Crash of New Plane.” Modesto Bee, CA. 11-22-1950, p. 1.

–21  Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Douglas DC-3C on the Mt. Moran: 21 killed.”

–21  Jackson Hole News & Guide. “Remembering heroism after 1950 plane crash.” 11-19-2014.

Narrative Information

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives:

“Date & Time:                         Nov 23, 1950 at 1750 LT [Local Time] [It is clear from news accounts

that the date of loss was Nov 21 not Nov 23.

“Type of aircraft:        Douglas DC-3

“Operator:                   NTM [New Tribe Mission]

“Registration:              N74586

“Flight Phase:              Flight

“Flight Type:               Humanitarian

“Survivors:                  No

“Site:                           Mountains

“Schedule:                   Chico – Billings

“MSN:                         19711

“YOM:                        1944 [According to news reports the plane was new with few hours flown.]

“Location:                   Mt Moran, Wyoming

….

“Crew of board:            3

“Crew fatalities:            3

“Pax on board:                        18

“Pax fatalities:             18

“Other fatalities:           0

“Total fatalities:          21

“Circumstances:

While cruising by night and in foggy conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of the Mt Moran (12,605 feet high) located in the northwest part of Wyoming, south of the Yellowstone National Park. The aircraft departed Chico, California, at 1515LT, to Billings, Montana, carrying eight children, ten adults and a crew of three. The aircraft hit the mountain at approximately 1750LT. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Billings, SAR operations were conducted. The following day, farmers told the local authorities that fire was spotted in the mountain and that it was not possible to find anything burning at this period of the year except maybe the crashed aircraft. As the accident zone was unreachable, it took time to rescuers to find the wreckage. All 21 occupants have been killed.”

Jackson Hole News & Guide. “Remembering heroism after 1950 plane crash.” 11-19-2014:

“On Nov. 22, 1950, park ranger Blake VandeWater, Paul Petzoldt and two other mountaineers climbed Mount Moran to investigate the wreckage of a plane that had crashed the evening before.

“En route from Chico, California, to Billings, Montana, the DC-3 crashed during a storm. Owned by New Tribes Mission, a religious organization, the plane was on the first leg of a flight to South America. All 21 passengers, including seven children, died. The three pilots had flown during World War II.

“It was impossible to recover the plane or the passengers because of the extreme terrain, so the wreckage remains on the mountain today. Everyone who climbs in this area is expected to show respect and to leave the mountain grave site as it is….”

Newspaper at the time:

Nov 22, AP: “Moran, Wyo., Nov 22. – AP – Four skilled mountaineers started at daybreak climbing cloud-shrouded Mount Moran in search of a missionary plane which disappeared near the peak last night [21st] with 21 persons, eight of them children, aboard. Forest Ranger Blake Van DeWater and three ski-shod Alpinists started trudging through snow toward a spot where watchers last night saw a huge fire. Heavy clouds cloaked the scene this morning. Winds of 30 to 40 miles an hour whipped the area but there was no snow fall. The temperature is around freezing.

“Only faint hope was held by forest service officials that there were any survivors if the plane crashed and burned on the mountain. The four mountaineers carried radio and light signaling equipment but it was expected to take them six to eight hours to reach the scene of last night’s fire.

“A resort owner said he saw a burning fuselage in the flames far above timber line on the precipitous east face of the mountain. When the fire subsided, he could see nothing resembling a campfire.

“The missing plane was bound from Chico, Calif., to Billings, Mont. Owned by the New Tribes Mission, a religious organization, it was on the first leg of a flight to South America.

“Passengers included two young mothers with their children, widowed in the crash of another mission owned plane in Venezuela last June which  killed 15. Also aboard was Dr. Paul W. Flemings of Chico, mission director.

“The new, twin engine DC3 last reported by radio over Idaho Falls, Ida., at 3:48 PM. That was 50 miles west of here. The plane was due at Billings at 6:30 PM. It was about that time that residents of this picturesque area 25 miles south of Yellowstone National Park heard a plane overhead. It was far off usual air lanes. And it was flying west, just opposite the direction the California plane should have been headed. There was speculation it was lost and hunting landmarks.

“Half an hour later, Acting Teton Park Superintendent Paul A. Judge said a fire was reported about 1,000 feet from the top of Mount Moran [Mount Moran is in Grand Teton National Park, western WY]. ‘There were no mountain climbers out,’ Judge said. ‘We assumed it could be nothing but a plane wreck. A little while later the Civil Aeronautics Authority said the Chico plane was overdue and to watch for it. We reported it must be on Mount-Moran.’

“Clarence Harris, an owner of Signal Mountain Lodge, eight miles across Jackson Lake from the mountain, took out a pair of powerful field glasses. ‘I saw what looked like a burning fuselage way up there in the snow,’ he said. ‘I don’t think anybody could be alive.’

“In Los Angeles, a mission official, Irving Samuelson, said the plane had been flown only a few hours. He said it was thoroughly checked before it left. The pilots were experienced, he added. Crew members included Pilot Cy Lowery, Copilot Jack Dennis and Bob Cramer, former B17 pilot.” (Associated Press. “21 Are Feared Dead In Crash of New Plane.” Modesto Bee and News-Herald, CA. 11-22-1950, p. 1.)

Sources

 Associated Press. “21 Are Feared Dead In Crash of New Plane.” Modesto Bee and News-Herald, CA. 11-22-1950, p. 1. Accessed 8-18-2023 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/modesto-bee-and-news-herald-nov-22-1950-p-1/

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Douglas DC-3C on the Mt. Moran: 21 killed.” Accessed 8-18-2023 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-douglas-dc-3c-mt-moran-21-killed

Jackson Hole News & Guide (Connie Owen). “Remembering heroism after 1950 plane crash.” 11-19-2014. Accessed 8-18-2023 at: https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/valley/columnists/remembering-heroism-after-1950-plane-crash/article_133fa9d5-a2f4-5299-ad08-70a8fd536f96.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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