1944 — Dec 25, USAAF C-47 hits Black Mesa Mt. top (low visibility), ~Quartzsite, AZ– 17
— 17 Baugher. 1943 USAAF Serial Numbers (43-5109 to 43-52437). 11-7-2011 rev.
— 17 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1006.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Douglas C-47B-1-DL….16151 (c/n 10617) crashed into mesa 20 mi SE of Quartzsite, AZ Dec 25, 1944 on flight from Tucson, AZ to Los Angeles, CA. All 17 onboard killed.” (Baugher. 1943 USAAF Serial Numbers (43-5109 to 43-52437). 11-7-2011 rev.)
Mireles: “At 1215 MWT, a Douglas C-47B flying in instrument conditions crashed into Black Mesa Mountain 13 miles southeast of Quartzite, Arizona, killing seventeen passengers and crew. The airplane took off from Tucson Municipal Airport, Tucson, Arizona, at 1048 MWT on a flight to Palm Springs, California. The flight originated at El Paso, Texas, and the pilot was scheduled to transmit position reports at Phoenix, Arizona, and Blythe, California, en route. The airplane apparently entered instrument conditions while flying over mountainous terrain. The airplane collided with the mountain about 15 feet from the peak. The airplane broke up and burst into flames upon impact. The airplane was not found until 12-28-44…” (Mireles 2006, 1006.)
Newspaper
Dec 29, AP: “Colorado Springs, Colo., Dec. 29. (AP) – Twelve persons were killed in the crash of a transport-type plane which, the Army reported yesterday, has ben found on Black Mesa mountain in Arizona. Second air force headquarters placed the location 40 miles east of Blythe, Calif. The victims were not identified immediately.
“The plane, based at Malden, Mo., and reported overdue Christmas day, was en route from Tucson, Ariz., to Palm Springs Calif. It was found by Capt. Ruth Reinhold, of the Arizona wing of the civil air patrol and CAP Sgt. Victor H. Pulis, jr., both of Phoenix. Eleven other civil air patrol planes had been engaged in the search. Capt. Reinhold and Pulis explained that the transport needed only 15 more feet to have cleared the mountain…” (Associated Press. “12 Perish in Plane Crash on Black Mesa.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AS. 12-29-1944, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “12 Perish in Plane Crash on Black Mesa.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AS. 12-29-1944, p. 1. Accessed 2-1-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/tucson-daily-citizen-dec-29-1944-p-1/
Baugher, Joseph F. 1943 USAAF Serial Numbers (43-5109 to 43-52437). Nov 7, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-18-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 3: August 1944 – December 1945). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.