1955 — March 22, USN R6D-1 flies into Waianae Range ~Lualualei Navy Depot, HI –all 66

–66 Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description, US Navy R6D-1, March 22, 1955.
–66 Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773).
–66 Bismarck Tribune (ND), “66 Perish in Navy Plane Crash!,” March 22, 1955.
–66 Felhofer. Chron. of Significant Events in Naval Aviation: “Naval Air Transport” 1941-99.
–66 Gero. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, 67.
–66 NFPA. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires.” Quarterly…NFPA, 49/3, Apr 1956, p395.
–66 Schmitt, Robert C. Catastrophic Mortality in Hawaii. 2-2-2009, p. 75.
–66 Wikipedia. “List of Accidents and Incidents Involving Military Aircraft (1950-1974).

Narrative Information

ASN: “The R6D-1 [131612], a Navy derivative of the DC-6, was flying Air Force, Army and Navy personnel from Tokyo to Fairfield-Travis AFB, CA. An intermediate stop was made at Honolulu-Hickam AFB, HI (HIK). After takeoff from Hickam AFB, the airplane suffered radio problems and the crew decided to return to the air base. A navigational error caused the plane strayed off course towards the Waianae Range. The airplane flew into a mountain peak, eight miles north of its intended position.” (Aviation Safety Network. US Navy R6D-1, March 22, 1955)

Gero:
“Date: 22 March 1955 (c.02:00)
“Location: Oahu, Territory of Hawaii
“Operator: US Navy
“Aircraft type: Douglas R6D-1 (131612)

“All 66 persons aboard perished when the four-engine transport crashed and burned in the Waianae Mountain range, some 15 miles (25km) north-west of Honolulu. Most of the victims were American servicemen, including the nine members of the crew, although the passengers included two civilian dependents – the wife and 3-year-old daughter – of a Navy enlisted man who was also on the aircraft.

“Operated by the Military Air Transport Service and originally bound for Travis Air Force Base, in California, the R6D was returning to land at Hickam Field, where it had taken off from earlier, because its high-frequency radio transmitters were inoperative. Communications were not affected when the aircraft came within close proximity to the islands. Cleared for landing, the transport was last reported descending out of 3,000 (1,000m) before it slammed into the slope and exploded at an approximate elevation of 1,200ft (350m), or some 750ft (230m) below the peak of the mountain.

“Just prior to impact, its landing lights were turned on and it had banked to the right in what might have been an evasive maneuver. Due to apparent navigational miscalculations by the flight crew as to their position and direction, the transport was at the moment of the crash some 8 miles (13km) north of the proper approach pattern and flying at an insufficient height to clear the terrain. It was dark at the time, and the meteorological conditions in the area, which were considered a contributing factor in the disaster, consisted of scattered clouds and rain showers, with a visibility of around 7 miles (11km). The wind was calm. No deficiencies were found in the Honolulu radio range or very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR) stations or other facilities.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999, pp. 61-62.)

Schmitt: “The greatest death toll in any Island air accident was 66, caused by the crash of a MATS R6-D into the Waianae Mountains near Lualualei Naval Ammunition Depot on March 22,1955. The plane had left Hickam for Travis AFB the previous evening, but had turned back 3½ hours out because of radio trouble. Everyone aboard, including 55 members of the armed forces, two military dependents, and a nine-man Navy crew, died in the 2:16 a.m. crash.”
(Schmitt, Robert C. Catastrophic Mortality in Hawaii. 2-2-2009, p. 75.)

Wikipedia: “22 March – A United States Navy Douglas R6D-1, BuNo 131612, c/n 43715, of VR-3, assigned to MATS, hits a cliff on Pali Kea Peak in the Waianae Range, 15 miles NW of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, United States, at 0203 hrs., killing 57 passengers and nine crew, making this the worst heavier-than-air disaster in US Navy history.” (Wikipedia. “List of Accidents and Incidents Involving Military Aircraft (1950-1974).)

Newspaper

March 22: “Honolulu (AP) – A U.S. Navy transport plane with 66 aboard crashed into a Hawaii mountain early Tuesday and the Navy announced there were no survivors…. At the time of the crash there was a low overcast and it was raining heavily… the plane crashed about halfway up the side of the mountain…. The plane carried 57 passengers and a crew of 9, the Navy reported. The big transport took off from Hickam Field here late Monday and was four hours and 26 minutes eastbound when it turned back the Navy reported…. The plane apparently had developed engine trouble and had turned back for Hickam. Visibility at the time was five miles. Headquarters said the passengers included 20 Air Force personnel, 16 Navy, 19 Army and 3 dependents of military personnel.” (Bismarck Tribune (ND), “66 Perish in Navy Plane Crash!,” March 22, 1955.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Navy R6D-1, March 22, 1955. Accessed 12-20-2008 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19550322-0

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). Oct 7, 2011 update. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries15.html

Bismarck Tribune, ND. “66 Perish in Navy Plane Crash!,” March 22, 1955. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/freepdfviewer.aspx?img=13910407

Felhofer, Mark W. (Editor and Compiler). Chronology of Significant Events in Naval Aviation: “Naval Air Transport” 1941-1999. 10-16-2009 at: http://www.vrc-50.org/historyNATSbw.htm

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

National Fire Protection Association. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 49, No. 3, April 1956, pp. 393-295.

Schmitt, Robert C. Catastrophic Mortality in Hawaii. 2-2-2009, 86 pages. Accessed 9-20-2012 at: Catastrophic Mortality in Hawaii – eVols – University of Hawaii. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fevols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10524%2F150%2FJL03074.pdf%3Fsequence%3D2&ei=UPSvVK2bLoO4yQTO74L4DA&usg=AFQjCNHER9A57xAr6d0m9mJcnsc4F2Z8Gg&bvm=bv.83339334,d.aWw

Wikipedia. “List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft (1975-1999). 11-18-2011 mod. At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(1975%E2%80%931999)#1983