Narrative:The C-47A transport plane, based at Oxnard Air Force Base, California, operated on a training mission to Palmdale Air Force Base and back. The flight took off from Oxnard at 18:42 and proceeded to Palmdale where several touch-and-goes were performed.
At 21:02 the flight headed back to Oxnard. There was a dense cloud layer obscuring the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys. The flight continued under VFR until it impacted the side of Oat Mountain at an elevation of 3200 feet. It careened onto a gentle slope.
Sources:
» Historic Aircraft Wrecks of Los Angeles County / G. Pat Macha
» The Douglas DC-1/DC-2/DC-3 - the first seventy years / J.M. Gradidge
Photos
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 Palmdale AFB, CA to Oxnard Airport, CA as the crow flies is 113 km (70 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.