San Diego – Palm Springs

On April 15, 1976 at 02:55 PM, San Diego – Palm Springs experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 60 Duke, operated by Chartair - USA, with the event recorded near Palm Desert California.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. En route from San Diego to Palm Springs, weather conditions deteriorated and the twin engine airplane entered a thunderstorm area with severe turbulences and strong winds. The right empennage assembly and the right outboard wing panel failed in flight, causing the airplane to enter an uncontrolled descent and to crash in flames near Palm Desert. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N37D, MSN P-335, year of manufacture 1975.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 33.7288°, -116.3826°.