Hollywood-Burbank (Bob Hope) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on final approach to Hollywood-Burbank Airport on a positioning flight from Santa Monica, the airplane adopted a nose-down attitude, struck power cables, hit a house and crashed in a wasteland located few miles short of runway. Both pilots and one people on the ground were killed. The aircraft was destroyed as well as several cars. A house was also damaged.

Probable cause:

Uncontrolled descent caused by vortex turbulences from a preceding aircraft with separation of approximately 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 14-H2 Super Electra on Stroh Peak: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1938 at 1407 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 14 Super Electra

Operator:

Registration:

NC17394

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Burbank – Las Vegas – Minneapolis – Chicago

MSN:

1439

YOM:

1938

Location:

Stroh Peak

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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 impacted the slope of 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 presented 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.

Probable cause:

The crew did not follow the published procedures and was cruising at an unsafe altitude to overfly the mountainous area. At the time of impact, the aircraft' speed was 200 mph.

Crash of a Waco UIC near Newhall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1934 at 0800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Waco UIC

Operator:

Registration:

NC13065

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Burbank - Burbank

MSN:

3719

YOM:

1933

Location:

Newhall

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Hollywood-Burbank Airport at 0630LT on a local flight. About an hour and a half into the flight, the pilot encountered limited visibility due to fog and did not realize he was flying at an insufficient altitude. At full speed, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 6 miles south of Newhall. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all four occupants were killed, among them W. E. 'Tommy' Thomas, owner of the Pacific Airmotive Corporation.
Crew:
W. E. 'Tommy' Thomas, pilot.
Passengers:
Roy W. Kidd,
F. M. Matthews,
Dorothy Benham.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 40B-4 in Burbank: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1931 at 2330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 40

Operator:

Registration:

NC5390

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

San Diego – Burbank

MSN:

1044

YOM:

1928

Location:

Hollywood-Burbank (Bob Hope)

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from San Diego, the pilot initiated a night approach to Hollywood-Burbank Airport. The visibility was poor due to the night and foggy conditions. On approach, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the La Tuna Canyon Park, about 5 km northeast of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.