Recent Crash Site Visitations

Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of the American West

Recent Crash Site Visitations
* Visitation, but not by me

2010

January

2/24/58 T-33A USAF revisit
9/25/45 P-38L USAAF revisit (rumors that this site has been removed are not true)
4/24/63 F-104C USAF
7/9/60 F-104C USAF
12/6/74 F-105G USAF (rumors that this site has been removed are not true)
All of the above crash sites are east of Hwy 395, SE of Red Mountain, CA.
9/17/42 SNJ-4 USMC Santa Ynez Mountains, CA.
9/20/44 F4U-1 USMC Santa Ynez Mountains, CA.
3/2/78 F-105G USAF Newbury Park, CA.
3/20/99 PA-28-161 Cajon Pass, CA.
12/10/06 Bell 412 Cajon Pass, CA.

February

2009

November

10/13/55. Boeing B-47B 51-2231 USAF in hills near March AFB, four fatal, micro site scattered over wide area.
10/19/78. Boeing B-52D 56-0594 USAF four fatal, one survivor. Micro site scattered over several acres NE of Perris, CA.
5/21/09. Northrop T-38A 68-8153 USAF one fatal, one survivor. Micro site, widely scattered east of Cal-City. Thanks to Ryan Gilmore.
11/4/65. Northrop F-5A 63-8376 USAF non-fatal, SW Lone Pine, CA. Failed to locate crash site on first attempt.
3/18/81. Beechcraft TC-45J CG-RJE two fatal near Beatty, NV. 50% plus remaining, burned. Thanks to Joe Idoni.
3/29/90. North American Aviation QF-86F BuNo 8555890 USN fatal. Micro site scattered north of Trona, CA. Thanks to Tom Gossett via Ryan Gilmore.
Date unknown. Cessna 150 near Towne Pass in Death Valley National Park. Second visit to site, concentrated, partly burned, 25-30% remaining, unmarked. Possibly early production 150 that crashed prior to 1964, appears to have been a fatal.
11/7/09. Piaseki PV-18/ HUP N183YP three fatal, near Adelanto, CA. Micro site with memorial.
Date unknown. North American Aviation F-86F USAF south of Adelanto, CA. Micro site, scattered, fourth visit to site over many years.
1/31/05. Cessna 180 N2882A one fatal near Adelanto, CA. Micro site with memorial. Thanks to Ryan Gilmore.
6/6/84. Piper PA-24 N5306Y one fatal west of Ludlow, CA. Second visit to this micro site.
Date unknown. Douglas A-4C USN near Ludlow, CA. First ground visit following fly-over, details being researched.
1/19/45. North American Aviation P-51D44-72122 USAAF one fatal Cajon Pass, CA. Second visit to micro site burned, concentrated, unmarked.
8/14/59. Beechcraft 35 N3846N four fatal Santa Monica Mountains, CA. Micro site overgrown, scattered.

December

8/5/44 Re-visit USMC FG-1A (fatal) in Santa Ana Mountain foothills.
8/13/43 Re-visit USAAF Beech AT-11 41-27429 (4 fatal). This micro site shows erosion of parts since my first visit in 2004. Site is near Hinkley, CA.
8/4/81 LTV TA-7C USN Bu No 156777 (non-fatal), micro site SE of Cal-City thanks to information provided by Ryan Gilmore.
3/20/45 Lockheed XP-80A 44-83021 USAAF “Grey Ghost” (non-fatal), micro site, visitation thanks to USAF MSgt Tony Accurso.
8/22/51 Bell X-1D 48-1386 USAF (non-fatal), micro site, visitation thanks to USAF MSgt Tony Accurso.
5/9/52 Martin XB-51 46-686 USAF (1 fatal), micro site, visitation thanks to USAF MSgt Tony Accurso.
11/6/61 Kaman HH-43C 58-1849 USAF (non-fatal), micro site, visitation thanks to USAF MSgt Tony Accurso.

September

10/19/78 B-52D near March AFB micro site, thanks to Ryan Gilmore
1958 Aeronca 7AC SW of Shieldsville, MN. Two fatal in stall spin accident, micro site. Special thanks to Mike Hagerty

October

6/23/88 Cessna 310 N170R (4) fatal, wreckage removed.
1/11/87. Beech 35 CFHRR on Monrovia Peak one fatal, and wreck not located until 2/14/87. Wreckage visible from the air in heavy undergrowth near top of ridge.
8/5/52. Convair B-36D 49-2661 USAF in Pacific Ocean west of San Diego two fatal. Revisit crash site thanks to Captain Ray Arntz of UB88.ORG and his dive vessel the Sundiver II. The son and grandson of flight engineer Walt Hoffman who bailed out from the stricken plane, but was never found were special guests.
Date unknown. Helicopter, type unknown NW of Randsberg in the northern Mojave Desert. Micro site, scattered and unmarked, thought to be fatal dating from the early 1960’s. Thanks to our guide Daniel Perrino for making this visit possible.
Date yet to be determined. Cessna 210 in Santa Monica Bay west of Playa Del Rey located during the search for Gertrude Tompkins Silver (On dive boat over wreck)
Date unknown. Type of aircraft unknown, possibly a drop tank only, NW of LAX. (On dive boat over wreckage)
10/15/55. Lockheed T-33A 51-9227 USAF two fatal missing until April 2009 when UB88.ORG team located site in Santa Monica Bay. (On vessel over crash site)

July

3/14/45 Vultee BT-13A 41-22019 USAAF (2) fatal micro site central San Diego County.
1962? Vought F-8 USN northern San Diego County Mountains on private property, widely scattered. Special thanks to Ernie Cowan.
4/3/99 Piper PA-32R N9254Q (4) fatal, San Diego County Mountains micro site.

August

Thanks to master pilot George Petterson another aerial photography was flown revisiting:

2/25/44 C-46A N. flank of Pallet Mountain
9/30/66 C-119G summit ridge Pallet Mountain
8/13/94 C-130A west of Pallet Mountain
Efforts to locate 11/14/46 Western A.A. DC-3 were unsuccessful.
Date unknown A-4 NE of Ludlow in mountains scattered, unmarked
Date unknown SNJ-5 SW Big Bear Lake partly removed, visible
1/2/42 B-26 on Keller Peak not visible from air, overgrown micro site
2/20/09 C-172 visible, and marked
Revisit 8/5/44 F4U-1A in Santa Ana Mountains

May

1/7/87 Cessna 182 near Essex.
11/29/59 Beechcraft Model 35 near Kelso.
6/6/04 Piper PA-23 east of Newberry Springs.
Date unknown Douglas A-4 visible SW of I-40 west of Ludlow.
11/11/50 Beechcraft SNB-5 Bu No 29649 revisit site with two next of kin families.
12/4/03. Wing Aircraft D-1 “Derringer” N8602J west of Rosamond.
1/17/45. Lockheed P-38J 44-23421 NW Lancaster, site only with no parts observed.

June

10/16/49 Douglas TB-26B 44-34636 USAF SW of Chino.
6/10/43 Consolidated B-24E 42-7119 USAAF near Weed, CA courtesy Bruce Batchelder
12/6/42 Consolidated B-24D 41-24262 USAAF near Stewarts Point, CA courtesy of Don Pedrazzini
1/29/54 Grumman F9F-6 Bu No 128111 East Marin County, CA courtesy of Ranger Matt Cerkel
1945 Grumman F6F USN north of Novato, CA courtesy Ranger Matt Cerkel
1945 Curtiss SB2C USN mid-air near Hayfork, CA courtesy Joel Bishop
*11/14/45 Grumman F6F-3 Bu No 25980 USN Shasta National Forest, CA courtesy Bruce Batchelder

March

8/5/44 USMC Goodyear FG-1A revisit site with Don Jordan.
8/3/60 USMC Chance Vought F-8A Bu No 145405 thanks to Roland Vellanoweth.
1/28/47. USMC Grumman F7F-3P Bu No 80427 Santa Ana Mountains thanks to Bob Pargee. Pilot was USMC WWII Ace Capt. W. J. “Gus” Thomas.
June/July 1944. USN aircraft, possibly SNJ with one fatality Near Lakeside in San Diego, thanks to Dennis Richardson.
(Special thanks to Craig Fuller for pointing me to a FM-2 north of Lakeside on a similar size mountain.)
1950’s. USN aircraft, type unknown near Lakeside. Thanks to Dennis Richardson
Date unknown. USN Vought F-8 Anza Borrego Desert area.
Date unknown. USN North American T-28B/C Anza Borrego Desert area.
1964/65. Hughes Model 269 N8812F west of Paso Robles, non-fatal, site only.

April

7/21/08. Boeing/Vertol CH-46 USMC Santa Ana Mnts. Accidental find by P. J. Macha.
5/9/63. Lockheed T2V-1 Bu No 144149 USMC. My first site visit 5/65, P. J. Macha, Tom Maloney, Pete & Heather Armes returned to find the site undisturbed.
8/5/44. Goodyear FG-1A USMC revisit with Joe Idoni.
5/10/82. McDonnell Douglas A-4M Bu No 160038 USMC Mojave Desert.
6/3/65. McDonnell F-4B Bu No 148395 USN Mojave Desert.
7/13/68. McDonnell F-4D 64-940 USAF Mojave Desert.
1931 Douglas BT-2B crash site viewed from distance.
9/22/43 Bell P-39Q 42-20102 at Chiriaco Summit airfield/site only.
7/24/43 Consolidated B-24E 42-70099 near Blythe (Special thanks to Trey Brandt).
10/4/43 Consolidated B-24E 42-40382 near Blythe (Special thanks to Trey Brandt).
* 6/2/84 Piper PA-31 off the Kelbaker Road by Paul and Kathy Hanson.

January

4/17/68, Douglas A4D-1 USN Anza Borrego Desert.
11/22/69. LTV F-8E Bu No 149212 VF-124 USN Anza Borrego Desert.

February

8/12/88, Bell/Textron UH-1H U.S. Army Reserve.

2008

November

7/15/97 Cessna TR-182 at Panamint Springs in D.V.
Date unknown Cessna 150/172 at Towne Pass in D.V.
10/22/56 NAA JF-100A near Beatty Junction in D.V.
7/1/54 NAA X-10 Mojave Desert.
8/5/44 Goodyear FG-1A Santa Ana Mnts.
Date unknown jet drop tank excavated on park land in Orange County, not an aircraft crash site as previously thought.

Aerial survey courtesy of master pilot George Petterson on the following sites;

8/13/94 Lockheed C-130A, 9/30/66 Fairchild C-119G, 2/25/44 Curtiss C-46A, 1/26/56 NAA TB-25N.

December

7/8/59. Douglas A4D-2 Bu No 14817 USN memorial placement at crash site on Mojave Desert.
Date unknown, Vought F-8 USN possibly 1964-67 loss in Wildcat Canyon east of San Diego.
8/5/52. Convair B-36D #49-2661 USAF west of San Diego in Pacific Ocean. (on vessel over wreck site)

September

2/11/69 Lockheed SP-2E Bu No 131487 USN return with members of pilot’s family.
Date unknown, but on the sixth trip to this site Ranger Tom Maloney found Goodyear stamps confirming that this aircraft is an USMC FG-1.
6/5/42 Consolidated LB-30 #AL601 USAAF taken to site by Ranger Matt Cerkel.
10/4/45 Vought F4U-1D Bu No 50391 USN and Goodyear FG-1A Bu No 13888 USN mid-air sites with Ranger Matt Cerkel.
2/15/05 Beechcraft Model 95 N8269D I spotted the crash site on the SE ridge of Mount St. Helena.
3/21/43 Bell P-39N #42-9120 USAAF site visitation with Craig Fuller, Matt Cerkel, and all special thanks to Ranger Gregg Mangan.
* 5/4/45 Consolidated PBY-5A Bu No 48416 USN located by Craig Fuller

October

6/03/01 Piper PA-28-181 N8253W missing until 9/21/08. This site visitation was courtesy Western Helicopter & Aircraft Recovery Service.
See complete story and pictures.
10/10/62 Lockheed F-104C #56-0920 found by Ryan Gilmore. A curious aspect of this site were, three closely spaced holes dug some time ago within the impact crater.
7/08/59 Douglas A4D-2 Bu No 142817 found by Deke Joralmon the pilot’s son, a memorial plaque is being planned for this site.
Revisit 2/08/55 Martin B-57B #52-1494 to find site substantially reduced by persons unknown.
2/26/06 Aero Vochochody L-39 N39DF site located by Kelly Cowan., a memorial is already in place for both crew members.
Failed to reach 7/22/58 Cessna L-19A due to unexpected early snowfall.

July

Viewed old Cessna 172/182 wreckage SW of Markleevillle on a steep mountain face that I was unable to reach. More research is required on this site.
Returned to 10/3/56 Mc Donnell F3H-2N crash site with pilot Ralph “Skeeter” Carson and two of his VF-124 comrades Larry Swartz, Roger Burnell. Thanks again to the continued good efforts of Dennis Richardson.
Two unsuccessful search efforts for USMC Douglas SBD-5 Bu No 29029 that crashed ca 1944 in southern Orange County.

August

* Date unknown. Grumman TBF Avenger located in the Pacific Ocean near South Laguna Beach, CA by Dan Catalano and his son in 35’ of water.

May

Revisit F-86D triple mid-air site one 11/18/54
F-86D site two (found by Cindy Macha-Skjonsby & Tim Baggerly)
F-86D site three (found by Tim Baggerly)
Revisit Lockheed SP-2E USN 2/11/69 with next of kin to place small memorial container on wreckage with USFS approval
Revisit Beechcraft SNB-5 USMC11/21/50 to place memorial container on wreckage on behalf of next of kin with USFS approval

June

Two return visits to F4U (date unknown) in effort to I.D. manufacturer Vought, Goodyear or Brewster. Craig Fuller of AAIR assisted in the second visitation and he may have helped to solve this case.
7/8/81 Fairchild C-119 N13742 Tanker 88 and 2/2704 Piper PA-28R-180 N76871. Both of these sites were reached on 6/28/08 thanks to the coordinating efforts of Marc Mc Donald, and expert 4x4 drivers Bill Elsenbaumer and Jason McIlhaney. Stories will be posted soon.

March

Lockheed SR-71A 12/20/69
(2) McDonnell F-4E mid-air 7/26/90
Curtiss P-40N 1/25/44
Revisit Consolidated B-24J & B-24D mid-air 9/1/44
Beechcraft M35 1/25/88
Lockheed C-130A 6/17/02
Possible Douglas AD Skyraider USMC crash date unknown
TF-51D 4/25/50 (found by Chris LeFave)
F-100D Date unknown (found by Chris LeFave)

April

* F-86A’s mid-air 9/4/56 (found by Matt Maxon)
McDonnell AV-8B 9/27/94
Revisit Grumman F7F-1 4/29/46
Piper PA-28 11/19/67 viewed from distance
Beech M-35 6/7/86
Lockheed C-130A 6/17/02

January

B-24D & B-24J USAAF mid-air 8/1/44
P-51D USAAF 1/19/45
F-51D USAF10/16/52
* F-86A USAF 3/16/57 found by Matt Maxon

February

Revisit Lockheed SP-2E USNR 2/11/69
Douglas C-118 USAF site and memorial 2/1/58

2007

November

TB-25N USAF 1/26/56 fly over

December

F-86F USAF 3/29/54
A-4A USMC date unknown
F9F-6 USN 5/18/56

September

F4U-1D USMC date unknown
CH-46E USMC 2/12/87

October

A-7E USN 2/12/75
QF-86F USN 1970’s
BOM-34A USN date unknown
A-7E USN date unknown
A-7E USN date unknown
A-7C USN date unknown
QF6F-5 USN date unknown

July

Revisit C-135A USAF 6/25/67
Revisit SNB-5 USMC 11/21/50

August

BE-95 civilian 6/7/64
B-12A USAAC 5/28/35

May

C-135A USAF 6/25/67
(2) F4U-4 USMC mid-air 1/14/48

June

Helicopter USMC type unknown
F4U-1D USN 8/10/45

March

(2) P-38L mid-air 2/15/45
AT-7 USAAF 4/9/42
F4U-4 USN 2/24/47

April

No entry

January

YF-4E USAF 10/16/72

February

F3D-2 USMC date unknown