Estado:	Final
Fecha:	24 DIC 1946
Hora:	19:19
Tipo:	Douglas C-53D-DO (DC-3)
Operador:	Western Air Lines
Registración:	NC45395
Numéro de série:	11642
Año de Construcción:	1943
Horas Totales de la Célula:	3699
Motores:	2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G
Tripulación:	Fatalidades: 3 / Ocupantes: 3
Pasajeros:	Fatalidades: 9 / Ocupantes: 9
Total:	Fatalidades: 12 / Ocupantes: 12
Daños en la Aeronave:	Anulado
Consecuencias:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Ubicación:	80 km (50 milles) E of San Diego, CA (Estados Unidos de América)
Fase:	En ruta (ENR)
Naturaleza:	Vuelo Doméstico Programado
Aeropuerto de Salida:	Holtville Airport, CA, Estados Unidos de América
Aeropuerto de Llegada:	San Diego International Airport, CA (SAN/KSAN), Estados Unidos de América
Número de Vuelo:	44

Descripción:
The flight departed Holtville at 18:50 and was cleared to San Diego on a contact flight plan to cruise at 7,000 feet. En route at 19:09, the flight made a position report to the company radio at Los Angeles advising that it was over Mt. Laguna at 7,000 feet. Ten minutes later the crew had initiated a descent. At an altitude of 6120 feet the DC-3 flew into the east slope of Cuyapaipe Mountain, 75 feet below the crest. The wreckage was found three days later.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the conduct of the flight at an altitude which would not clear obstructions, due to an error by the pilot in determining his position with respect to Laguna Mountain."

Fuentes:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 45)
» CAB File No. 5565-46
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com