Miramar – Albuquerque – Detroit

On January 22, 1957 at 09:33 PM, Miramar – Albuquerque – Detroit experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-4, operated by United States Navy - USN, with the event recorded near Detroit-Willow Run (Ypsilanti) Michigan.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 6 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 14.3%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. The aircraft was on its way from Miramar to Detroit, carrying a crew of seven. They made a stop at Albuquerque to carry the body of a USN pilot who was killed in an accident two days earlier. While descending to Willow Run Airport, the pilot briefed his crew about the minimums and confirmed that if runway was not in sight at 800 feet, they will divert to Grosse Isle NAS. The approach was completed in a low visibility due to snow falls and a ceiling at 550 feet when the airplane hit the ground near a pond, lost an engine and crashed in flames in an open field located about two miles short of runway 05. LCDR William E. Sale was killed while six others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration 50869, MSN 10546, year of manufacture 1945.