Columbia - Columbia

On July 18, 1970 at 04:00 PM, Columbia - Columbia experienced a crash involving Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, operated by Hemet Valley Flying Service, with the event recorded near Columbia California.

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

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following a firefighting mission, the crew was returning to Columbia Airport when, on final approach, the airplane was too low and struck a rocky wall located about 252 feet short of runway threshold. The airplane crashed and was destroyed. Both crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N6459C, MSN 2017, year of manufacture 1943.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 38.9153°, -77.0535°.