San Francisco Peaks Aviation Archaeology
The San Francisco Peaks are a volcanic mountain range located in north central Arizona, just north of Flagstaff. The highest summit in the range, Humphreys Peak, is the highest point in the state of Arizona at 12,637 feet in elevation. The San Francisco Peaks are the remains of an ancient eroded stratovolcano.
The four highest individual peaks in Arizona are contained in the range of six summits that make up the San Francisco Peaks:
Humphreys Peak, 12,637 feet
Agassiz Peak, 12,356 feet
Fremont Peak, 11,969 feet
Aubineau Peak, 11,838 feet
Rees Peak, 11,474 feet
Doyle Peak, 11,460 feet
The San Francisco Peaks while beautiful and majestic to view, holds a grim chapter in Arizona's aviation history. Since the early 1940s, these mountains have claimed numerous pilots, crews, and passengers. During a period between 1941-1944, a total of 29 military servicemen perished in five separate aircraft accidents on the Peaks. Since that time, a number of civilian and commercial aircraft have also been lost on these steep slopes. Most with fatal consequences. Inclement weather along with pilot error, playing a major factor in many of these mishaps.
I created this gallery to profile a few of these accidents and crash sites that I have had the opportunity to visit and document over the years. Some of these sites are relatively easy to hike to while others require considerable effort.
I urge those that do plan to venture here to be aware that the weather in this range of mountains can change very quickly. Fatal lightning strikes have been known to occur during summer and blinding snow storms are the norm in the winter. If you have the opportunity to visit one of these historical crash sites, please be respectful to those that lost their lives here and not disturb items that remain. The United States Forest Service by law protects crash sites that are over 50 years old.
Read MoreThe four highest individual peaks in Arizona are contained in the range of six summits that make up the San Francisco Peaks:
Humphreys Peak, 12,637 feet
Agassiz Peak, 12,356 feet
Fremont Peak, 11,969 feet
Aubineau Peak, 11,838 feet
Rees Peak, 11,474 feet
Doyle Peak, 11,460 feet
The San Francisco Peaks while beautiful and majestic to view, holds a grim chapter in Arizona's aviation history. Since the early 1940s, these mountains have claimed numerous pilots, crews, and passengers. During a period between 1941-1944, a total of 29 military servicemen perished in five separate aircraft accidents on the Peaks. Since that time, a number of civilian and commercial aircraft have also been lost on these steep slopes. Most with fatal consequences. Inclement weather along with pilot error, playing a major factor in many of these mishaps.
I created this gallery to profile a few of these accidents and crash sites that I have had the opportunity to visit and document over the years. Some of these sites are relatively easy to hike to while others require considerable effort.
I urge those that do plan to venture here to be aware that the weather in this range of mountains can change very quickly. Fatal lightning strikes have been known to occur during summer and blinding snow storms are the norm in the winter. If you have the opportunity to visit one of these historical crash sites, please be respectful to those that lost their lives here and not disturb items that remain. The United States Forest Service by law protects crash sites that are over 50 years old.
This aerial view illustrates the range's complex arrangement of mountains, canyons, and meadows that together make up the San Francisco Peaks Range and Wilderness Area.
