Norton AFB (San Bernardino)

Shortly after rotation, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The crew feathered the propeller and the captain decided to make an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed and slid for several before coming to rest in flames in a gully located 4 miles southeast of the airfield. A passenger died while 19 other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Monterey to Norton AFB in San Bernardino, carrying a crew of two and a sailor passenger, fireman of the USS Badoeng Strait. While cruising by night at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Cajon located south of Cajon Pass. The wreckage was found four days later, on January 13. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Marshall Hand, pilot,
Lt Lasley K. Lacewell Jr., copilot.
Passenger:
Haskel Lewis Reichbach.

The crew departed Norton AFB in San Bernardino on a flight to Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah. Few minutes after takeoff, while cruising above the mountains, an engine failed. As the pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he ordered his crew to bail out. Few minutes later, he crashed with the airplane in a wooded and mountainous area located in Fawnskin, near Big Bear Lake. Unfortunately, Captain Charles M. Eckstein was unable to escape in a timely manner and was killed in the crash. All other crew members were found alive.

The crew was completing a flight from Altus, Oklahoma, to the March AFB located southeast of Riverside, California. While approaching March AFB, the crew was informed by ATC about poor weather at destination and was then vectored to Norton AFB in San Bernardino. While cruising by night at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Box Springs located between the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 14 occupants were killed.

The aircraft departed Norton AFB in San Bernardino at 1930LT on a short flight to Long Beach, carrying three passengers and two pilots. Fifteen minutes after takeoff, while cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Ontario. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually found on June 12, 1952 in an uninhabited area. It was reported that the aircraft was off the intended course at the time of the accident.
Crew:
1st Lt Willard H. Cooke Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Collin L. Campbell, copilot.
Passengers:
Cpt William Kaitner,
T/Sgt John S. Vallery,
S/Sgt Harry E. Gideon.
Photos: www.aircraftwrecks.com

Crashed in unknown circumstances.

The crew left Madison-Truax Field in the day bound for Amarillo to pick up four US Officers who have to fly to the Norton AFB located in San Bernardino. While approaching Norton AFB from the south at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the ground in the Box Springs Mountains. All six occupants were killed.