Narrative:
Golden West Flight 261 departed Ontario, CA at 15:56PST for a VFR flight to Los Angeles. At 16:04 the crew contacted LAX arrival and reported over Rose Hills. The flight was then cleared for the Terminal Control Area (TCA) and no. 2 arrival to runway 24L. At 16:05 the crew were advised that they had traffic 5,5nm in front of them climbing from 1500 to 3000 feet which was a police helicopter on a VFR flight. The arrival controller transmitted another advisory about the helicopter at 16:06, but there was no response. It appeared the Twin Otter had collided in flight at 2200 feet with a Cessna 150 aircraft (N11421). The Twin Otter was flying on a 250deg heading descending 300 feet/min at 146 knots airspeed while the Cessna was flying at 94 kts; the closing speed was 174 kts. The Cessna, operated by CessnAir Aviation had departed from Long Beach on a local training flight at 15:46. Both aircraft crashed. Debris caused some damage to houses and lawns near the crash site.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of both flight crews to see the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action. The Board is unable to determine why each crew failed to see an avoid the other aircraft; however, the Board believes that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the position of the sun, the closure angle of the aircraft, and the necessity for the Twin Otter's fight crew to acquire visual contact with radar-reported traffic directly in front of them."
Loss of control
accident date: 09-01-1975
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
registration: N6383
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 9 January 1975 |
| Time: | 16:07 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 |
| Operator: | Golden West Airlines |
| Registration: | N6383 |
| MSN: | 83 |
| First flight: | 1967 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10092 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Whittier, CA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Ontario International Airport, CA (ONT/KONT), United States of America |
| Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 261 |
Golden West Flight 261 departed Ontario, CA at 15:56PST for a VFR flight to Los Angeles. At 16:04 the crew contacted LAX arrival and reported over Rose Hills. The flight was then cleared for the Terminal Control Area (TCA) and no. 2 arrival to runway 24L. At 16:05 the crew were advised that they had traffic 5,5nm in front of them climbing from 1500 to 3000 feet which was a police helicopter on a VFR flight. The arrival controller transmitted another advisory about the helicopter at 16:06, but there was no response. It appeared the Twin Otter had collided in flight at 2200 feet with a Cessna 150 aircraft (N11421). The Twin Otter was flying on a 250deg heading descending 300 feet/min at 146 knots airspeed while the Cessna was flying at 94 kts; the closing speed was 174 kts. The Cessna, operated by CessnAir Aviation had departed from Long Beach on a local training flight at 15:46. Both aircraft crashed. Debris caused some damage to houses and lawns near the crash site.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of both flight crews to see the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action. The Board is unable to determine why each crew failed to see an avoid the other aircraft; however, the Board believes that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the position of the sun, the closure angle of the aircraft, and the necessity for the Twin Otter's fight crew to acquire visual contact with radar-reported traffic directly in front of them."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Mid air collisionLoss of control
Sources:
» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest, Circular 146-AN/96 (3-12)Photos
accident date: 09-01-1975
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
registration: N6383
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 Ontario International Airport, CA to Los Angeles International Airport, CA as the crow flies is 75 km (47 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Ontario International Airport, CA to Los Angeles International Airport, CA as the crow flies is 75 km (47 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few 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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DHC-6 Twin Otter
- 930+ built
- 31st loss
- 20th fatal accident
- 5th worst accident (at the time)
- 57th worst accident (currently)
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