Ukiah - Ukiah
Flight / Schedule
Ukiah - Ukiah
Aircraft
Grumman S-2 TrackerRegistration
N448DF
MSN
179
Year of Manufacture
1957
Date
August 20, 1978 at 05:46 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Fire fighting
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Laytonville California
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
39.6882°, -123.4828°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On August 20, 1978 at 05:46 PM, Ukiah - Ukiah experienced a crash involving Grumman S-2 Tracker, operated by CDF Aviation - California Department of Forestry - Cal Fire, with the event recorded near Laytonville California.
The flight was categorized as fire fighting and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 1 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. While completing a low pass during a fire fighting mission, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration N448DF, MSN 179, year of manufacture 1957.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.6882°, -123.4828°.
Fatalities
Total
1
Crew
1
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
While completing a low pass during a fire fighting mission, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Ukiah - Ukiah
Flight Type
Fire fighting
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
U.S. Air Mail Service
De Havilland DH.4
Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot fate unknown.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The accident occurred in unknown circumstances.
