1951 — July 21, Canadian Pacific Air (US military charter), lost, Gulf of AK near Sitka– 37

–38 Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA). “Fog Still Holds up Search for Planes,” 8-9-1951, p. 36.
–37 Aviation Safety Network. “Accident Description…Canadian Pacific Air, 21 Jul 1951…”
–37 Liefer. Broken Wings: Tragedy & Disaster in Alaska Civil Aviation. 2003, p. 57.
— 6 Canadian crew
–31 passengers
–26 US servicemen
— 3 civilians connected with US Army
— 2 Royal Canadian Navy
–37 Planecrashinfo.com. “1951…Accident Details…Canadian Pacific Air…July 21, 1951…”

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Saturday 21 July 1951
“Type: Douglas DC-4
“Operator: Canadian Pacific Air Lines – CPAL
“Registration: CF-CPC
“MSN: 10327
“First Flight: 1944
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
“Passengers: Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 31
“Total: Fatalities: 37 / Occupants: 37
“Aircraft damage: Missing
….
“Location: near Sitka, AK (United States of America)
“Phase: En route (ENR)
“Nature: International Scheduled Passenger
“Departure airport: Vancouver International Airport, BC, Canada
“Destination airport: Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK, United States of American
“Flight number: 3505
“Narrative:

“The C-54 departed Vancouver at 18:53 for a flight to Tokyo, the first intermediate stop being Anchorage, Alaska. At the Cape Spencer intersection in British Columbia, 90 minutes out from Anchorage, it gave an estimate of 24:00 for Yakutat in Alaska. The weather in the area was heavy rain and icing conditions with a visibility of 500 feet. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft, and at 00:44 an emergency warning was issued when the aircraft was overdue to report. Search for the aircraft was abandoned on 31 October 1951.

“Probable Cause: ‘As no traces of the aircraft or its occupants has been found to date the cause of the disappearance has not been determined.’”

Liefer: “….The four-engine commercial airliner departed Vancouver at 1643 Alaska Standard Time, on July 20, carrying thirty-one passengers and six crew members. Among the passengers were twenty-six from the U.S. military, two from the Royal Canadian Navy, and three civilians attached to the U.S. Army. All six crew members, including the airplane captain, first officer, flight navigator, flight engineer, radio operator and a flight attendant, were Canadian. They were experienced and familiar with the route….” (Liefer. Broken Wings: Tragedy & Disaster in Alaska Civil Aviation. 2003, p. 57.)

Planecrashinfo.com: “Disappeared with no trace over the Pacific Ocean while flying from Vancouver to Tokyo. The last message was received while the aircraft was near Yakutat, Alaska with no reports of problems. Cause undetermined.” (Planecrashinfo.com.)

Newspaper

July 21: “Vancouver, B.C., July 21.—(AP)—A Korean airlift plane carrying three United Nations officials, 28 American military men and a crew of seven was reported missing today on the Gulf of Alaska leg of 1,348-mile flight from Vancouver, B. C., to Anchorage, Alaska. The big four-engined plane, operated by the Canadian Pacific Airlines on military charter for service to Korea, was last heard from at 12:17 a.m. PST, (1:17 a.m. MST) off Cape Spencer, about 80 miles due west of Juneau, Alaska. The CPA office here said the U. S. coast guard had launched search of the area, and Royal Canadian air force search and rescue planes were standing by at Vancouver’s sea island base….” (Greeley Daily Tribune, WA. “Korean Airlift Plane Missing,” July 21, 1951, p. 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Accident Description. Canadian Pacific Air, 21 Jul 1951. Accessed at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510721-0

Liefer, G. P. Broken Wings: Tragedy & Disaster in Alaska Civil Aviation. Blaine, WA: Hancock House, 2003.

Long Beach Press-Telegram, CA. “Fog Still Holds up Search for Planes,” 9Aug1951, p. 36. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=45869409

Planecrashinfo.com. “1951…Accident Details…Canadian Pacific Air…July 21, 1951…” Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1951/1951-38.htm