Hondo – Fresno

On December 1, 1944 at 07:45 PM, Hondo – Fresno experienced a crash involving Lockheed C-60 LodeStar, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Bakersfield California.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) 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: 7, crew fatalities: 7, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. While on a flight from Hondo AAF, the crew started the descent to Fresno by night when at the altitude of 4,300 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the north slope of Mt Bear located some 18 miles southeast of Bakersfield. All nine occupants were killed. Crew and passengers: Clarence W. DeGroff, 1st Lt Hobert D. Simpson Jr., 2nd Lt James F. Applewhite, 2nd Lt Jimmie E. Hoch, 2nd Lt Louis J. Hoekstra, F/O Otto F. Illias, F/O Michel D. Pavich, Sgt Ira R. Ratliff, Pfc Walter H. Denk.

Aircraft reference details include registration 42-32197, MSN 2287.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.3739°, -119.0195°.