1946 — Jan 31, United Air Lines #14 deviates from course, flies into Elk Mt., WY — all 21

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

 –21  Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description, United Air Lines Flight 14, Jan 31, 1946.

–21  Big Spring Daily Herald, TX. “Air Crash Scene Finally Reached,” February 3, 1946.

–21  CAB, AIR, United Air Lines, Elk Mountain, Wyoming – January 31, 1946.

–21  Eckert “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AJFM&P, 3/1, March 1982, p.53.

Narrative Information

Civil Aeronautics Board, Accident Investigation Report (Docket No. SA-113; File No. 257-46):

“The Accident

“United Air Lines Flight 14 [NC25675] en route from Boise, Idaho, to Denver, Colorado, crashed near the top of Elk Mountain, Wyoming, at 0247 [Mountain Standard Time], January 31, 1946. All 21 occupants of the aircraft were fatally injured and the Douglas DC-3 was demolished by impact and fire.

“History of the Flight

“Flight 14 departed Portland, Oregon, at 2020 January 30, 1946, with stops scheduled at Pendleton, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho. After being serviced at Boise, the aircraft departed at 0007 January 31, 1946, to cruise nonstop to Denver, Colorado. The original flight plan authorized prior to departure from Boise specified a cruising altitude of 9,000 feet between Boise and Malac City, Idaho, 11,000 feet between Malad City and Rock Springs, and 13,000 feet between Rock Springs and Denver. Until the aircraft River Rock Springs, the flight was conducted without any apparent difficulty. However, as the flight approached Rock Springs the captain requested and received a change of flight plan in order to remain at 11,000 feet.

“Approximately at the time Flight 14 reported over Rock Springs, United Air Lines’ Flight 44, en route from Oakland, California, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, transmitted a position report over that station at the same altitude. As the two aircraft approached Sinclair at 11,000 feet, the pilots of Flight 44 observed the lights of Flight 14 approximately one mile ahead and apparently on the left side of the airway. The two aircraft appeared to be on converting flight paths and, before reaching Sinclair, Flight 14 was directly ahead of Flight 44. The crew of the latter aircraft observed that Flight 14 appeared to pass over the range station at Sinclair, Wyoming, and to take up a heading directly toward Laramie, Wyoming. Flight 44, meanwhile, maintained a course close to the left hand side of the airway and the pilots continued to watch Flight 14 as it bore to the right in the direction of Elk Mountain, having [unclear word] encountered scattered-to-broken clouds at his cruising altitude in an area approximately 30 miles east of Sinclair, the captain of Flight 44 climbed to 11,300 feet where he was able to cruise above all clouds. From this point the lights of Flight 14 were intermittently visible to the co-pilot of Flight 44 through breaks in the clouds and the aircraft appeared to be approximately three miles to the right of the airway slightly below the cruising altitude of Flight 41.

“Shortly thereafter the co-pilot of Flight 44 observed a bright flash off to his right and a red fire which appeared to glow through the clouds. Fearing that an accident had occurred to Flight 14, the pilot of Flight 44 immediately attempted to establish contact with it without success. At approximately the time of the accident United Air Lines’ Flight 28 was proceeding westward from Laramie at an altitude of 12,000 feet and also observed the bright red glow from the vicinity of Elk Mountain. Subsequent attempts to contact Flight 14 by ground stations were unsuccessful and it became apparent that the flight had struck Elk Mountain.

“Investigation

“An after cast of the weather situation at the time and in the vicinity of the accident indicated that winds aloft were from 300 degrees to 310 degrees, between 50 and 55 miles per hour. A United Air Lines’ pilot operating over this portion of the airway testified that scattered-to-broken clouds existed at 11,000 feet. This observer also indicated that there was a definite overcast around the summit of Elk Mountain extending approximately five miles in all directions. Although the clouds were reported to have been 300 feet in thickness it was estimated that in the immediate vicinity of Elk Mountain clouds could have been between 500 and 1,000 feet in thickness.

“Adverse weather conditions prevailing seen after the accident delayed the arrival at the scene of investigators of the Safety Bureau of the Civil Aeronautics Board. Although several attempts were made to climb Elk Mountain the following day by personnel from local army stations, extremely low temperature and heavy snowdrifts made it impossible. Approximately seven days after the accident had occurred, a Board investigator was able to reach the scene of the accident and to accomplish a cursory inspection of the wreckage. Because of the impossibility of completing a satisfactory examination due to the heavy snow which covered the wreckage, arrangements were made to return to Elk Mountain during late June at which time most of the snow would have melted from the scene of the accident.

“On June 25, investigation of the wreckage was continued under more favorable conditions. With the exception of the left engine which had rolled over the crest of the hill and into a large snowbank, most of the debris was accessible for inspection. Examination of the seats and the broken seat belts indicated that both pilot and co-pilot were at their respective stations at the time of impact. Marks of impact on the ground indicated that the aircraft was in approximately level flight at the time of the accident. Distinct propeller marks had been cut in the face of the mountain and both wings were torn completely from the fuselage. The fuselage disintegrated as it slid up the mountain slope for a distance of approximately 200 yards. Some parts of the aircraft continued along the direction of flight over the top of the ridge rolling down the east side….

“The point of impact on the southwest corner of Elk Mountain at an elevation of approximately 10,822 feet is located on a direct line between the Sinclair and Laramie radio range stations. The flight path of the aircraft in the vicinity of the accident had deviated south of the airway a distance of approximately 4½ miles. Elk Mountain represents the highest terrain between Sinclair and Laramie within an area of 15 miles on either side of the direct course. The dog-legged airway was so designed in order to provide most effective clearance from the high terrain to the south.

“Discussion

“The elevation at the top of Elk Mountain is 11,162 feet. Flight 14 struck Elk Mountain at an elevation approximately 340 feet below that of the crest of the mountain and approximately 180 feet below the assigned cruising altitude….

“Although it has been determined that the aircraft was actually on a magnetic course of 80 degrees at impact, the point of impact was on a direct line from the Sinclair to the Laramie radio range stations the magnetic bearing of which is 98 degrees. It is unlikely that the same wind direction and velocity would have prevailed at the surface of Elk Mountain and the actual wind drift experience by Flight 14 immediately prior to impact is impossible to determine. It therefore appears that light 14 had deviated from the airway in order to maintain a direct course between these tow points. This conclusion is further confirmed by the fact that the aircraft ASF receiver was tuned to the frequency of the Laramie radio range station. Although the possibility may exist that the deviation from the airway had been a result of wind drift, it is apparent that the captain of the flight was aware of the winds aloft inasmuch as he had navigated without apparent difficulty to Sinclair from Portland, Oregon. It is extremely unlikely, therefore, that such wind drift was experienced without the knowledge of the captain….

“Findings

“On the basis of all available evidence, the Board finds that:

….

“5. The flight deviated from the prescribed route and followed the most direct course between Sinclair and Laramie. [i.e., “The crew made an unauthorized deviation from the airway, trying to reduce distance on a ‘dog-leg’ of the airway.” (ASN. United #14, Jan 31, 1946)]

“7. At o247, Flight 14 collided with Elk Mountain at an elevation approximately 180 feet below its assigned cruising altitude and 4½ miles south of Airway Green 3, and was demolished by impact and fire.

“Probable Cause

“On the bases of the foregoing the Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was the deviation from the prescribed route at an altitude insufficient to assure adequate clearance over Elk Mountain.”

….

“Recommendation No. 1:

“….During the investigation and subsequent hearing on the above-mentioned accident it was established that Captain Briggs had recently returned from three and a half years of military service and that he had complied with …regulation inasmuch as he had completed three round trips over the route on which the accident occurred. Irrespective of the number of trips, no one was made responsible for checking his qualifications along the route. In other words, although he made the necessary trips, no one could certify as to his familiarization with the route procedures or with the terrain along the route. It is therefore believed that the scope of those regulations should be enlarged and that before any pilot is qualified for route competency he should be certified by the company by whom he is employed and a statement made that he had complied with the regulations and that the company is convinced from actual check that the pilot is fully qualified. It is also believed that this policy should be adopted when issuing an original route competency.”

Recommendation No. 2:  “The preparation of a flight plan includes the altitude of intended flight along the route between radio fixes. Usually those specified altitudes are not less than the minimum instrument altitudes. It is believed that to require on all flights dispatched by scheduled air carrier that a 1000-feet clearance of all obstacles within the airways or within 10 miles either side of the authorized route would not cause undue hardship. This should be required of all flights dispatched in accordance with instrument or contact flight rules and regardless of whether they are conducted day or night.”  (Civil Aeronautics Board, AIR, United, Elk Mountain, Wyoming – Jan 31, 1946)

Newspaper

Feb 3, Associated Press in Big Spring Daily, TX: “Elk Mountain, Wyo., Feb 2 (AP) – The bodies of four of the 21 victims of a United Air Lines plane crash on 11,162-foot Elk Mountain were brought down by dog sled tonight. The men who made the grueling climb fell exhausted on the ground at the completion of the trip. Airlines officials planned to return after the other bodies tomorrow. Members of the party said all of the bodies had not been found but expressed the belief that they could be located tomorrow. The bodies were found frozen in grotesque positions over an area of a quarter-mile radius by 25 men who braved 30-below-zero weather and driving winds to recover them…” (Big Spring Daily Herald (TX). “Air Crash Scene Finally Reached,” 2-3-1946.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United Air Lines Flight 14, January 31, 1946.  Accessed 12-25-2008 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19460131-0

Big Spring Daily Herald, TX. “Air Crash Scene Finally Reached.” 2-3-1946. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=86203831

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. United Air Lines, Elk Mountain, Wyoming – January 31, 1946 (File No. 257-46). Washington, DC: CAB, January 6, 1947. Accessed 11-9-2023 at:  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33265

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.