1946 — March 3, American Airlines 6-103 descent crash in zero visibility, Thing Mt. CA–25

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

—  25  Aviation Safety Network, Accident Description, American Flight 6-193, March 3, 1946.

—  25  Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-57213 to 42-70685). Sep 6, 2011 revision.

—  25  CAB. AIR, American Airline – Thing Mountain, California – March 3, 1946.

—  25  Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.” 

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Douglas C-49H-DO….Returned to American Airlines as NC21799 May 27, 1944.  Crashed 35m W. El Centro, CA, Mar 03, 1946. Crashed into Thing Mountain at altitude of 4860 feet. All 25 on board killed.” (Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-57213 to 42-70685).  Sep 6, 2011 revision.)

Civil Aeronautics Board, Accident Investigation Report (American Airlines 3-3-1946, CA):

“The Accident

“American Airlines Flight 6-103 crashed against the east slope of Thing Mountain California, at 0812 Pacific Standard Time] March 3, 1946, during a scheduled flight from El Paso and while descending toward San Diego. The 22 passengers and the crew of 3 were fatally injured, and the Douglas DC-3 was demolished by impact and subsequent fire.

“History of the Flight

“Flight 6-103 departed New York, New York, at 0902 March 2, 1946, en route to San Diego, California. Crew changes were made at Nashville, Tennessee, and El Paso, Texas. The flight from New York to El Paso was completed without incident.

“While at El Paso Flight 6-103 obtained an instrument flight clearance from Airway Traffic Control to cruise to San Diego at 8,000 feet with Long Beach, California, designated as alternate airport and with a stop scheduled at Tucson, Arizona. The flight departed El Paso at 032g and arrived at Tucson at 0537. At 0559 the aircraft departed Tucson and routine position reports were subsequently received from the flight over Casa Grande, Gila Bend, and Yuma, Arizona. At 0754 the American Airlines radio operator at San Diego transmitted the 0750 weath4r report for San Diego: Indefinite ceiling 1,200 feet, broken clouds; visibility 8 miles. Receipt of this information was acknowledged by Flight 6-103 and immediately thereafter the flight reported that it had been over El Centro, California, at 0753 at 3,000 feet.

“Los Angeles Airway Traffic Control delivered a clearance for Flight 6-103 to American Airlines radio station at San Diego clearing the flight to San Diego to cruise at 8,000 feet and to cross San Diego at an altitude of at least 500 feet above the overcast. The company station, in turn, attempted to relay the Airway Traffic Control clearance to the flight at 0812, however, after several attempts at establishing contact with the flight, Airway Traffic Control was advised that the clearance was not delivered. All further attempts to contact the flight were unsuccessful.

“Routine search procedures were initiated immediately and at 1305 aircraft of the Naval Air Control Center at San Diego reported sighting the wreckage of Flight 6-103 on the east slope of Thing Mountain, approximately 50 miles east of San Diego.

“Investigation

“The wreckage was located on the east slope of Thing Mountain at an elevation 4,870 feet above sea level and at a point 10 miles ESE of Pine Valley, California. The point of impact was on the north edge of the east leg of San Diego radio range. It was apparent that the aircraft had struck Thing Mountain in an attitude of flight which was laterally horizontal but at a slight ascent. The left wing tip made first contact with the ground causing the aircraft to whip to the left. The right wing failed along the angle and was thrown forward of the wreckage. After coming to rest the entire forward portion of the fuselage was consumed by fire.

“Further investigation of the wreckage disclosed no indication of failure of any part of the aircraft or malfunctioning of the power plants. It was apparent that both engines were operating at approximately cruising manifold pressure and rpm at the time of impact….

“Discussion

….

“Inasmuch as no flight analyzer or barograph was carried on board it was not possible to determine the actual path of the aircraft in its descent from El Centro to Thing Mountain. Requirements for flight analyzers had been deleted from the Civil Air Regulations during the war because of the unavailability of parts required in maintenance….

“The reason for descent from 8,000 feet at El Centro to 4,370 feet at the scene of the accident has not been determined. In the light of the weather conditions which existed in the vicinity of the Laguna Range, an intentional descent cannot be justified. However, in view of the fact that the pilot had not obtained a clearance to San Diego from Los Angeles Airway Traffic Control and in view of the fact that contact conditions existed east of the ridge, it appears that the pilot or co-pilot was attempting to descend from El Centro while en mute to San Diego in accordance with Contact Flight Rules. The terrain in the vicinity of Thing Mountain rises very steeply and the ceilings at the time of the accident were lowering rapidly. It is probable that the weather conditions at the scene of the accident were zero-zero at the time the aircraft reached that vicinity. In view of the lowering terrain toward the south and east, it is likely that, had the pilot encountered difficulty with either equipment or downdrafts as he approached Tuning Mountain, he would have turned to the south or to the east toward more favorable terrain and weather conditions, However, no indications of equipment malfunctioning were disclosed and no evidence was found to indicate that the pilot vas attempting to avoid that area. It can be concluded, therefore, that the descent was accomplished either by the pilot or with his approval.

“Probable Cause

“On the basis of the investigation, the Board determines that that the probable cause of this accident was the action of the pilot in descending or permitting a descent to be made, into instrument conditions to an altitude below that required to maintain clearance over Thing Mountain. The reason for the descent has not been determined.”  (Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. American Airline – Thing Mountain, California – March 3, 1946.)

Notable California Aviation Disasters:

“Date / Time: Sunday, March 3, 1946 / 8:12 a.m.

“Operator / Flight No.: American Airlines / Flight 6-103

“Location: Near Live Oak Springs, Calif.

“Details and Probable Cause: American Airlines Flight 6-103, a twin-engine Douglas DC-3-227B (NC21799) bound for San Diego, originated at New York and made scheduled stops at Nashville, Tennessee; El Paso, Texas; and Tucson, Arizona. It departed Tucson at 5:59 a.m., having been cleared at El Paso by Airway Traffic Control to cruise to San Diego at 8,000 feet.

“With a crew of three and 22 passengers aboard, the airliner radioed routine position reports while flying over Casa Grande, Gila Bend and Yuma, Arizona. After the DC-3 reported passing over El Centro, California, at 7:53 a.m., the company station at San Diego attempted to radio the aircraft at 8:12 a.m. with clearance information that instructed it to proceed to San Diego at 8,000 feet and cross over the city at an altitude of at least 500 feet above the overcast. However, this message was not acknowledged by Flight 6-103’s crew and further attempts to contact the plane were unsuccessful.

“Search-and-rescue procedures were immediately initiated and, at 1:05 p.m. in the afternoon, aircraft dispatched from the Naval Air Control Center at San Diego reported sighting the wreckage of the American DC-3 on the eastern slope of Thing Mountain, approximately 10 miles east-southeast of Pine Valley, 39 miles west of El Centro and 50 miles east of San Diego.

“It gradually became apparent that the aircraft had encountered adverse weather conditions in the vicinity of Thing Mountain; at Mount Laguna, seven miles to the northwest, ceiling and visibility were reported as “zero.”

“Investigators determined that the DC-3 was in a slight descent when it crashed into the mountainous terrain at an altitude of 4,870 feet above sea level. The plane’s left wing tip had struck the rising slope, wrenching the aircraft to the left. Its right wing was then torn off and thrown forward of the wreckage and, upon coming to a rest, the entire forward portion of the fuselage was consumed by fire. All 25 persons on board were killed in the crash.

“In their report, Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigators concluded that, in view of the fact that the flight had not responded to the 8:12 clearance instructing them to remain at 8,000 feet — sent at about the same time the crash occurred — the flight crew never received it.

“Since prevailing weather conditions were clear east of Thing Mountain, the crew apparently began a routine descent as prescribed by visual flight rules (VFR) without first notifying controllers. It was during this descent that the aircraft encountered IFR (instrument flight rules) conditions at approximately 7,600 feet, as were reported by other pilots flying in the vicinity of Thing Mountain….

“Fatalities: 25 — 22 passengers and a crew of 3.” (Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.”)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. American Airlines Flight 6-193, March 3, 1946.  Accessed 12/25/2008 at:  http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19460303-0

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. American Airlines – Thing Mountain, California – March 3, 1946 (File No. 323-46).  Washington, DC: CAB, January 30, 1947. Accessed 11-8-2023 at:  https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiOnNHA4bWCAxXOEGIAHWcEB6sQFnoECDAQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Frosap.ntl.bts.gov%2Fview%2Fdot%2F33266%2Fdot_33266_DS1.pdf&usg=AOvVaw21A3oOBewXdDzVHi3K5Gu9&opi=89978449

Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1940s.” Sep 25, 2009 update. Accessed 10/17/2009 at:  http://www.jaydeebee1.com/crash40s.html (Site no longer active.)