January 16, 1942: Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA), Douglas DC-3 (NC1946) Potosi Mountain, NV
Transcontinental & Western Air Flight 3, a Douglas DC-3 (NC1946) was a scheduled transcontinental coast to coast flight originating from New York City with the ultimate destination of Burbank/Los Angeles, California.
Unlike today's non-stop transcontinental flights, this flight was to make several stops on it's way across the country. One scheduled stop it made in the early morning hours of January 16, 1942 was Indianapolis, Indiana where the flight boarded several passengers including actress Carole Lombard, her mother Elizabeth Peters, and MGM Studio Agent Otto Winkler. Lombard and company had just completed a successful cross-country trip selling two million dollars worth of war bonds to support the war efforts.
At 5:27 AM, the flight departed Indianapolis and continued west until it reached St. Louis. Taking on cargo, the flight was delayed nearly two hours by a layer of early morning fog that reduced visibility to less than one quarter of a mile. At 9:03 AM, the fog lifted and the flight continued on with more scheduled stops and strong headwinds.
By the time Flight 3 reached Albuquerque, New Mexico it was running more than three hours late. More delays were experienced in Albuquerque as passengers and cargo had to be removed in order to make room for fifteen military pilots and crew who had war time travel priority. Initially, the Lombard trio was removed from the flight, but Carole insisted that their group had priority due to her participation in the war bond tour. The gate agent not wanting to argue with the obviously irritated Lombard, allowed her party to continue their trip. The only other civilian passenger allowed to continue was Mrs. Lois Hamilton. An aircraft crew change also took place in Albuquerque. In command of TWA Flight 3 would be Captain Wayne Williams, Co-pilot Morgan Gillette, and Air Hostess Alice Getz.
Under the normal planned route, the flight would have been able to continue direct to its final destination however the extra weight of passengers, cargo and headwinds required an en route fuel stop at Las Vegas, Nevada. At 4:40 PM, Flight 3 departed Albuquerque for the Las Vegas Air Terminal which unlike Boulder City (TWA Terminal) had lighted runways.
It was 6:37 PM when Flight 3 reached Las Vegas. This stop was quick. Just enough time to take on more fuel, have passengers stretch their legs, and for Hostess Getz to top off the two galley containers with hot coffee.
At 7:07 PM, the flight departed runway 34 and began its climbing left turn across the Las Vegas Valley. The night of January 16th was dark and moonless as the DC-3 leveled off at the cruising altitude of 8,000 feet. The night was made even darker with the government's decision to blackout the lighted airway beacons due to wartime national security threats.
With the passenger cabin lights comfortably dimmed, up front in the cockpit, Captain Williams probably had the instrument and cockpit flood lights turned up to set the power for cruise flight. Perhaps Co-pilot Gillette was busy with a navigation chart or trying to confirm their course. Regardless of the reason or task at hand, neither pilot noticed the selected course was sending them into the snow-capped 8,500 foot Potosi Mountain.
The collision with the vertical cliff of Potosi Mountain was devastating and all 22 passengers and crew were killed instantly. When the final report was issued nearly a year later, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigators were never able to determine why the flight flew off course and into mountainous terrain.
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HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
It was around 1983 when I started my research of TWA Flight 3. The story of the accident was interesting to me in that it involved many aspects of history, two of which were World War 2 and the other was the "Golden Age" of Hollywood.
Armed with the CAB Report, newspaper articles, and a couple grainy photos, I had little other help to locate the wreck. I decided the best way to find the crash site was to spot the location from the ground and then from the air.
In the next six months I planned my hike carefully and decided the best way to approach the site would be from the south side of the mountain (This was the route used by the recovery teams in 1942). The hike up the mountain was very steep, but I did manage to locate the crash site after a few hours.
The site as I first located it during 1984 was relatively pristine with very little foot traffic. Identifiable components such as landing gear and engines were located and documented. It was the smaller items that most people stepped over that proved to be the most revealing in the visits I have made throughout the years.
Unfortunately today, the crash site is a publicized hiking trip on the internet and I would guess that it is now visited by hikers every other weekend. When I last visited the site in the early part of 2008, soda cans, bottles and other trash littered the site. In addition, one engine has been rolled down the steep mountain slope by vandals. I still have plans to replace a stolen memorial plaque at the site, but I am hesitant due to possible vandalism. I would like to see the U.S. Forest Service be more pro-active and protect this historical resource from further damage.
The crash site itself lies within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area which is managed by both Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service.
Looking at the northeast face of Potosi Mountain.
I had a general idea of the location, but to confirm the location precisely I needed to search and photograph the mountain from the air. (Lostflights Photo)
Potosi Mountain is very difficult to fly over since the northeast face curves right to form an east face. This required me to fly low toward the mountain, but to keep turning right. Trying to do this and photograph while not hitting the side of the mountain was difficult. (Lostflights Photo)
This aerial photograph taken in January 1942 shows the crash site (circled). This photo helped me pinpoint the exact location of the crash site when compared to my recent aerial photos. (LostFlights Photo)
I used this photo to compare it with the 1942 aerial photo. The location of the crash site is circled. (Lostflights Photo)
A close-up photo of the crash site, but still no wreckage was visible. (Lostflights Photo)
During my other visits to the crash site, I was able to access the gated utility road which was usually locked.
The very steep road requires the use of four-wheel drive vehicles which I did not have one at the time. In this case, I rented a Mitsubishi Montero which barely made the climb up the mountain. (Lostflights Photo)
THE CRASH SITE OF TWA FLIGHT 3:
On-site and posing with one of the DC-3's two Wright Cyclone G-202A radial engines.
This photo also illustrates the steep terrain at the site. Every rock that you step on literally moves under your feet. (Lostflights Photo)
One of the main landing gear struts and drag linkage. (Lostflights Photo)
This fragment, based on the size and style of the painted red/black lettering was most likely from the DC-3's tail (vertical stabilizer). Probably from the name "SKY CLUB" or the TWA line number "387". (Lostflights Photo)
Another view of the main landing gear strut assembly. (Lostflights Photo)
An example of a Douglas DC-3 main landing gear and strut assembly with wheel/brake and tire. (Lostflights Photo)
The other landing gear and strut assembly was located a short distance down the slope. (Lostflights Photo)
It was determined that this was the starboard side (#2) engine. This conclusion was based on the expanded accident report and the wreckage distribution diagram. (Lostflights Photo)
The port side (#1) engine was was found in a gully below the main impact site and below the #2 engine.
It was partially buried by washed down debris and had visible impact damage from the cliff face. (Lostflights Photo)
Located on the talus slope was the tail gear/wheel spindle assembly with lower bulkhead mount. (Lostflights Photo)
The tail gear spindle and one of the main landing gear strut assemblies. (Lostflights Photo)
At the main impact site during an early visit. The aircraft struck the cliff face behind me. (Lostflights Photo)
This odd looking metal ring was once a trim fitting for a passenger cabin air vent. (Lostflights Photo)
Wreckage fragments with a portable aircraft fire extinguisher canister in the foreground. (Lostflights Photo)
Passenger beverage cup fragments with "TWA" logos on bottom. (Lostflights Photo)
These bent and broken metal cup holders with "TWA" logo stamps were used by passengers to hold hot cups of coffee during in-flight meal service. (Lostflights Photo)
Close-up of the "TWA" logo stamp on a cup holder. (Lostflights Photo)
A bent fork located at the site was part of the meal service equipment onboard TWA Flight 3. (Lostflights Photo)
EVIDENCE OF SALVAGE
This mystery object located at the crash site was not part of the aircraft.
It appears to be the mounting base for a makeshift smelter used by salvage workers attempting to recover the aluminum wreckage for profit. (Lostflights Photo)
After the salvaged aircraft aluminum was melted, it was poured into empty tin cans and allowed to cool. The salvaged aluminum could then be packed out by horseback from the crash site.
Evidence such as the smelter base and this forgotten can of melted aluminum suggest a large portion of the aircraft was broken up and salvage. This probably occurred during the late 1940s or 50s. (Lostflights Photo)
A passenger cabin overhead reading light and call button panel. (Lostflights Photo)
This picture depicts the location of the overhead passenger reading light/call button panel in a DC-3 passenger cabin. (Lostflights Photo)
An ice bucket manufactured by the Thermos Bottle Co. sits amid the boulder/rock covered wreckage. (Lostflights Photo)
A portion of a propeller dome and case. (Lostflights Photo)
A propeller spindle with an attached base of a propeller blade. Several pieces of fragmented propeller blades were located at the site. (Lostflights Photo)
Looking up at the cliff face and the main impact point. (Lostflights Photo)
These two fragments look like the surrounding rocks, but they are actually pieces of the DC-3's left propeller blades that shattered when the left wing slammed into the cliff face. (Lostflights Photo)
The CAB's aircraft accident report indicates that after the left wing made contact with the cliff, the aircraft continued directly into this cliff and ravine. (Lostflights Photo)
A view of the Las Vegas Valley in the direction that TWA Flight 3 approached from. (Lostflights Photo)
This paddle lock was still key latched. Based on it's design and inscribed "U.S. MAIL", the lock was from a bag containing air mail letters. (Lostflights Photo)
Standing on top of the cliff looking down at the slope and scattered debris. (Lostflights Photo)
OTHER ARTIFACTS OF TWA FLIGHT 3:
A locking luggage latch from a passenger or flightcrew member's suitcase. (Lostflights Photo)
This aircraft autopilot servo unit with attached flight control cables was manufactured by the Sperry Instrument Corporation. (Lostflights Photo)
These military dress uniform buttons were located at the site and give testimony to the fifteen military personnel lost on the flight. (Lostflights Photo)
Coiled seat springs from an aircraft chair. (Lostflights Photo)
A data placard from a passenger chair. (Lostflights Photo)
A planetary reduction gear from one of the aircraft's engines. (Lostflights Photo)
This wing flap indicator would have been located on the bottom of the left instrument panel (Captain's side). (Lostflights Photo)
A large portion of the aircraft wing that escaped the aluminum smelter. (Lostflights Photo)
This faceplate from the Sperry Auxiliary Gyro Horizon instrument was located during the early 1990s with other cockpit wreckage debris. (Lostflights Photo)
A vintage TWA DC-3 photo of the Sperry Auxiliary Gyro Horizon indicator.
This instrument was located directly in front of the Captain on the left instrument panel. (LostFlights Photo)
A faceplate dial from one of the propeller RPM gauges. The aircraft had two of these gauges and were used to set the rotational speed of the propellers. (Lostflights Photo)
