Portland – San Francisco
Flight / Schedule
Portland – San Francisco
Aircraft
Travel Air 4000Registration
NC12
MSN
1260
Year of Manufacture
1927
Operator
Pacific Air TransportDate
January 22, 1928 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Dunsmuir California
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
41.2082°, -122.2720°
Crash Cause
Weather
Narrative Report
On January 22, 1928 at 12:00 AM, Portland – San Francisco experienced a crash involving Travel Air 4000, operated by Pacific Air Transport, with the event recorded near Dunsmuir California.
The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is weather. The pilot Arthur D. Starbuck was completing a mail flight from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco. While entering California, he encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to a snowstorm. He lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon in Shasta Springs, near Dunsmuir. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Aircraft reference details include registration NC12, MSN 1260, year of manufacture 1927.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.2082°, -122.2720°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The pilot Arthur D. Starbuck was completing a mail flight from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco. While entering California, he encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to a snowstorm. He lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon in Shasta Springs, near Dunsmuir. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Cause: Weather
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
1
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Portland – San Francisco
Operator
Pacific Air TransportFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
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.