Burbank – Las Vegas – Minneapolis – Chicago

On May 16, 1938 at 02:07 PM, Burbank – Las Vegas – Minneapolis – Chicago experienced a crash involving Lockheed 14 Super Electra, operated by Northwest Airlines, with the event recorded near Santa Clarita California.

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

9 people were known to be on board, 9 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: 7, passenger fatalities: 7, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. 24 minutes after its departure from Hollywood-Burbank Airport, while cruising northeast of Santa Clarita, the crew encountered foggy conditions. While cruising at a height of some 3,300 feet, the twin engine aircraft hist the Stroh Peak located in the Mint Canyon. Rescuers arrived on scene 36 hours later. The aircraft was totally wrecked and all 9 occupants were killed. Brand new, the aircraft was on its way to Las Vegas to be shown to the President of the company. All occupants were employees of Northwest Airlines or Lockheed Company. Crew: Sidney Willey, Lockheed test pilot in charge of the flight, Fred Whittemore, Northwest Airlines Vice-President and copilot. Passengers: Henry Salisbury, Northwest Airlines official, accompanied with his wife and two children, Richard and Judith, Mrs Carl B. Squier, wife of Lockheed's Sales Manager, Liola Totty, Lockheed stenographer, Evelyn Dingle, Northwest Airlines employee.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC17394, MSN 1439, year of manufacture 1938.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 34.4128°, -118.5538°.