Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of the American West

STINSON OY-2 Bu No 04001 USMC Hq. Sq.
5/29/51

When avid hiker Mike Boeck made his way into a remote part of the rugged Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California he did not expect to find the wreckage of what may turn out to be the Stinson OY-2 flown by USMCR 1^STLt. J.D. Righton. 1^st Lt. Righton suffered minor injuries, thanks in part to the low speed nature of the impact and to the Chaparral that provided an additional cushion effect in this 5/29/51 crash. The wielded tubular fuselage structure and the six cylinder Lycoming O-435-11 engine are still intact and rusting quietly after fifty-nine years of fires and floods. (Photos courtesy Mike Boeck, accident report courtesy AAIR)

In June 2010 we visited the OY-2 crash site in an effort to know for sure that this was not the USAAF L-5 that crashed in the same area in 1945.
The two man crew of the Army L-5 escaped their accident with minor injuries only, and as with the OY-2 the Army L-5 was abandoned also.
Some of the painted fabric on the OY-2 had the #612 Medium Green paint used only by the USMC. The Army L-5 had a four cylinder engine and the OY-2 had the flathead six. Thanks to our guide Mike Boeck for great hike to a very remote crash site.

In June 2010 we visited the OY-2 crash site in an effort to know for sure that this was not the USAAF L-5 that crashed in the same area in 1945. The two man crew of the Army L-5 escaped their accident with minor injuries, and as with the OY-2 the Army L-5 was also abandoned. Some of the painted fabric on the OY-2 had the #612 Medium Green paint used only by the USMC. The Army L-5 had a four cylinder engine and the OY-2 had the flathead six. Thanks to our guide Mike Boeck for a great hike to a very remote crash site.
Finding a data plate is a key aspect of confirming aircraft type and identification. This fuel tank mounted plate was found by Tom Maloney. (G.P. Macha photo)	The front top of the rudder still has some #508 International Orange paint on the fabric covering. (G.P. Macha photo)