Date:	Thursday 24 December 1964
Time:	00:31
Type:	Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation
Owner/operator:	Flying Tiger Line
Registration:	N6915C
MSN:	4812
Year of manufacture:	1957
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	7 km WSW of San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO) -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO)
Destination airport:	New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Constellation departed San Francisco runway 28L at 00:28 for an IFR flight to New York. Three minutes later the crew were advised that they were to the left of the prescribed departure course. Just 10 seconds later the plane crashed into rising terrain of Sweeney's Ridge.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The probable cause was that the pilot, for undetermined reasons, deviated from departure course into an area of rising terrain where downdraft activity and turbulence affected the climb capability of the aircraft sufficiently to prevent terrain clearance."

ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.16 - Volume III, Circular 82-AN/69 (142-153)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates