old wreck on mountainside

[ian]

at full emergency boost he must have bin going well over 300mph
hit the mountain very hard i would think

[dogdog47]

i went to the mossi on pockly moore it dived into the ground at about 300mph.
not much there now but a large water filled hole i have found engine parts on the site so eather they were dug out or tore themselves to bits when they hit.
Andy

[sitges1990]

That's funny Andy. Half the stuff I drag home, my wife tells me it's not coming in the house with it. I guess I just need to find cleaner stuff.

Jay

[dogdog47]

Hi Jay
i know what you mean my wife i very good and turns a blind eye to most things.
Mind she was not verry happy when she came home to find me heating engine parts in our new oven
I thought i might have to sllp on the couch its funny they can spot a sale at about thee miles but dont care about changing engine barings or valve stems.
can't live with them not alowed to kill em
Andy

[DonB]

The aircraft is a Grumman Hu-16 Albatross, and the wreck lies in the Death Valley region.

I have full details of the circumstances leading to this aircraft's loss somewhere - When I find it, I will post it.

Don

[sitges1990]

Wow Don, I thought we were never going to find out. OXU, never followed up after his first post. Thanks so much for sharing that information. If you do come up with more specific information, I would certainly be interested. I've hiked up to a few crash locations in the Death Valley area and have not heard nor seen anything on this crash site. Thanks again Don. Jay

[eze240]

The aircraft in question was an HU 16 alabatross, saw it years ago,just outside of death valley- don't remember what road, maybe hwy 40? Its visible from a scenic over look,virtually straight across the canyon.
There was an article in a warbird magazine, I think, in the 80's or 90's....
Claimed the a/c was operated by the CIA in the '60's, lost an engine in bad weather, crew bailed out and it crashed at that location....what the pics don't show is just how steep the area is. The slope is a good 45 degrees, climbing gear is required to get to it......

[DonB]

Hi chaps,

Sorry for the long delay - The info I had on this aircraft was on my old computer...

From my files:

Grumman SA-16 Albatross
51-001
580th Air Resupply Squadron, C.I.A.
Crashed 24 January 1952
Towne Summit, Death Valley, California

SUMMARY:
Took off from Mountain Home AFB on a navigation exercise (Mountain Home AFB - San Diego - Mountain Home AFB). Developed engine trouble and was unable to maintain altitude, the crew bailing-out in the vicinity of Furnace Creek, Nevada. At around 1840 the aircraft collided with Towne Peak, coming to rest almost intact.