ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-3-454 NC28310 Hanford, CA
ASN logo
 

Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 4 November 1944
Time:17:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-3-454
Operator:Transcontinental & Western Air - TWA
Registration: NC28310
MSN: 4992
First flight: 1940
Total airframe hrs:13167
Engines: 2 Wright R-1820-G100
Crew:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 21 / Occupants: 21
Total:Fatalities: 24 / Occupants: 24
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:near Hanford, CA (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:San Francisco Municipal Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO), United States of America
Destination airport:Hollywood-Lockheed Air Terminal, CA (BUR/KBUR), United States of America
Flightnumber: 8
Narrative:
Flight 8 took off at 16:00, one hour behind schedule, and proceeded according to plan to a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet for Burbank on an instrument clearance. It reported over Fresno on schedule cruising at 10,000 feet and estimated Bakersfield at 17:35. Near Hanford, the plane was seen to enter a rapidly forming thunderstorm in cumulo-nimbus clouds. The DC-3 entered an inverted flying attitude, probably due to severe turbulence. The plane than broke up and crashed.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "On the basis of all the evidence available the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the airplane's structure as a result of severe turbulence. An important contributing cause was the fact that the airplane was undoubtedly in an abnormal attitude of flight, i.e., inverted, at the instant of structural failure. The cause of the airplane becoming inverted has not been determined."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Turbulence
Loss of control

Sources:
» CAB File No. 3640-44


Photos

Add your photo of this accident or aircraft

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from San Francisco Municipal Airport, CA to Hollywood-Lockheed Air Terminal, CA as the crow flies is 521 km (326 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: languages

Share

Douglas DC-3

  • ca 13.000 built
  • 1229th loss
  • 419th fatal accident
  • 10th worst accident (at the time)
  • 132nd worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org