Narrative:
Douglas DC-3 NC79055, certificated for 32 passengers, had been scheduled for the flight. The crew however took NC36480 by accident, certificated for 26 passengers and 7 hours overdue for a 100-hour inspection. The flight to Oakland was uneventful. At Oakland, 28 additional passengers boarded the DC-3, leaving three of them sitting on luggage without seat belts. While en route at 5000 feet, the no. 1 engine caught fire. Following an explosion, the left wing, including the engine, separated from the fuselage. The aircraft crashed out of control.
It appeared that the gasket in the engine driven left fuel pump was broken and the 4 studs holding the castings of the pump together were loose. Under pressure, gasoline probably sprayed from the pump, then being ignited by the exhaust. The aircraft was carrying Mexican deportees and a US Immigration & Naturalization Service guard.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the left wing in flight as a result of damage by fire which had its source in a defective left engine driven fuel pump."
Wing failure
Loss of control
» The 28 deportees who died in an airplane crash in 1948
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 28 January 1948 |
| Time: | 10:50 |
| Type: |  Douglas C-47B-40-DK (DC-3) |
| Operator: | Airline Transport Carriers |
| Registration: | NC36480 |
| MSN: | 33598/16850 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2868 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 29 / Occupants: 29 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 32 / Occupants: 32 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | near Coalinga, CA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Oakland International Airport, CA (OAK/KOAK), United States of America |
| Imperial County Airport, CA (IPL/KIPL), United States of America |
Douglas DC-3 NC79055, certificated for 32 passengers, had been scheduled for the flight. The crew however took NC36480 by accident, certificated for 26 passengers and 7 hours overdue for a 100-hour inspection. The flight to Oakland was uneventful. At Oakland, 28 additional passengers boarded the DC-3, leaving three of them sitting on luggage without seat belts. While en route at 5000 feet, the no. 1 engine caught fire. Following an explosion, the left wing, including the engine, separated from the fuselage. The aircraft crashed out of control.
It appeared that the gasket in the engine driven left fuel pump was broken and the 4 studs holding the castings of the pump together were loose. Under pressure, gasoline probably sprayed from the pump, then being ignited by the exhaust. The aircraft was carrying Mexican deportees and a US Immigration & Naturalization Service guard.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the left wing in flight as a result of damage by fire which had its source in a defective left engine driven fuel pump."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Engine fire Wing failure
Loss of control
Sources:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 47)» The 28 deportees who died in an airplane crash in 1948
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Oakland International Airport, CA to Imperial County Airport, CA as the crow flies is 806 km (504 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Oakland International Airport, CA to Imperial County Airport, CA as the crow flies is 806 km (504 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Douglas DC-3
- ca 13.000 built
- 2592nd loss
- 844th fatal accident
- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 29th worst accident (currently)
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