Portland – Annette Island – Anchorage

On January 12, 1952 at 11:50 AM, Portland – Annette Island – Anchorage experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by General Airways, with the event recorded near Mt Crillon Alaska.

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

2 people were known to be on board, 2 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight 785 departed Portland, Oregon, at 0200, January 12, 1952, destined for Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, with a cargo of produce consisting mainly of crated eggs. The crew consisted of Captain Burton L. McGuire, Chief Pilot of General Airways, Inc., and First Officer George A. Simpson. The flight proceeded uneventfully and landed at Annette, Alaska, at 0709, at this point having completed almost one-half of the trip. At Annette, 507 gallons of 91 octane gasoline were added, resulting in a total fuel load of 650 gallons. The fueling report of the Standard Oil station at Annette reflected that the oil supply for each engine was 24 gallons. No cargo was removed from or added to the aircraft; the cargo weight upon departure was 6,177 pounds. The weight and balance manifest indicated a takeoff gross weight of 26,894 pounds, and the load was properly distributed with respect to the center of gravity. The maximum certificated takeoff gross weight for the aircraft was 26,900 pounds. The flight delayed at Annette for two hours and twenty-two minutes, awaiting improvement of weather conditions at Anchorage. Both pilots were thoroughly briefed on weather conditions by U. S. Weather Bureau personnel, and the pilots reviewed pertinent weather information several times. The aircraft was placed in a hangar to prevent ice formation due to freezing drizzle. A solid overcast was forecast over the route from Annette to Anchorage with temperature at flight level lowering from -10 degrees C. at Annette to -12 degrees C. between Sitka and Cape Spencer, and -14 degrees C. at Yakutat. Winds at the 10,000-foot level 2 were forecast as approximately 230 degrees and 45 knots to Sitka, and 200 degrees and 65 knots north of Sitka. Stable air was predicted, with little or no turbulence except over high, rough terrain where mechanically induced turbulence was expected due to the effect of strong winds. Light icing at flight level was forecast. The freezing drizzle changed to snow at about 0905, and the pilots made preparations to continue the flight. A new flight plan was filed at Annette, and Flight 785 was authorized by Air Route Traffic Control to proceed under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), direct from Annette to Sitka (off airway) and thence to Anchorage via Amber Airway No. 1. 3 The flight was to maintain at least 500 feet on top of the clouds while in the control area, join Amber 1 at Sitka at 9,000 feet, and maintain 9,000 feet. The alternate airport was Kenai, near Anchorage. Flight 785 departed Annette at 0931. The flight reported to Annette radio at 0940 that it estimated over Sitka at 1050. At 1111, Flight 785 advised Sitka radio that it was meeting strong head winds and estimated over Sitka in five or ten minutes. At 1116, the pilot reported by Sitka at 1113, 9,000 feet, and estimating Cape Spencer intersection 4 at 1156. Flight 785 reported by Cape Spencer intersection at 1147, 9,000 feet, estimating over Yakutat at 1245. This was the last radio contact with N 41748.

Aircraft reference details include registration N41718, MSN 11827, year of manufacture 1943.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 58.6627°, -137.1718°.