Statuts:	Enquête Officielle
Date:	24 DEC 1946
Heure:	19:19
Type/Sous-type:	Douglas C-53D-DO (DC-3)
Compagnie:	Western Air Lines
Immatriculation:	NC45395
Numéro de série:	11642
Année de Fabrication:	1943
Heures de vol:	3699
Moteurs:	2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G
Equipage:	victimes: 3 / à bord: 3
Passagers:	victimes: 9 / à bord: 9
Total:	victimes: 12 / à bord: 12
Dégats de l'appareil:	Perte Totale
Conséquences:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Lieu de l'accident:	80 km (50 milles) E of San Diego, CA (Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
Phase de vol:	En vol (ENR)
Nature:	Transport de Passagers Nat.
Aéroport de départ:	Holtville Airport, CA, Etats-Unis d'Amérique
Aéroport de destination:	San Diego International Airport, CA (SAN/KSAN), Etats-Unis d'Amérique
Numéro de vol:	44

Détails:
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."

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