Oceanside

The single engine was completing local skydiving flights out from Oceanside Airport. On final approach to runway 25, the airplane apparently stalled and crashed against an embankment located about 400 metres short of runway. The pilot was seriously injured and the jumpmaster was killed.

The pilot and his passenger, his son, departed from a controlled airport at 1436 hours. He climbed the airplane to about 5,200 feet mean sea level. Recorded communications between the pilot and the control tower did not reveal anything out of the ordinary. Radar data showed the pilot in a progressive climb to about 5,200 feet. After maintaining that altitude for over two minutes, the airplane descended at an excessive rate until it collided with the ocean about one mile offshore. The engines and propellers were recovered and examined. The engine examination did not reveal any pre existing discrepancies. The propellers had deep leading edge gouges, 'S' twists, and one broken blade. No pre existing deficiencies were found during the examination of the airplane's logbooks and maintenance records. Investigation did not reveal any reason for the airplane's rapid descent and its in flight collision with the ocean. Both occupants were killed.

The crew was engaged in a training sortie from March AFB when the heavy bomber collided in unclear circumstances with a USN Vought F4U-4 Corsair registered 81218 from VMA-251 flying out from MCAS El Toro. The 4 plane Corsair formation was on a GCI and Camera Gunnery flight. Apparently they were asked by the B-29s to make head on gunnery passes. The first three Corsairs did so, but the fourth, piloted by 2nd Lt Joe K. Jensen did not. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 30 miles west of Oceanside. The pilot of the Corsair was killed as well as 11 crew members from the Superfortress, six other have been rescued.

The seaplane departed March AFB on a flight to San Diego-Rockwell Field. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane suffered a structural failure. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a pasture in Oceanside. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Carl H. Murray,
Sgt Archie W. Snodgrass,
Sgt Bonnell L. Herrick,
Cpl Walter T. Taylor,
Pvt Stanley Book,
Pvt Albert Overend,
Pvt Vincent Galdin.

En route from Tijuana to Los Angeles, weather conditions deteriorated. The visibility was very bad due to heavy rain falls. The crew reduced his altitude and apparently attempted an emergency landing in an open field when, on short final, the aircraft rolled to the left and lost height, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane crashed and slid for about 60 metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all 16 occupants were killed. Up to date, worst aircraft accident in the United States.