United Air Lines Flight 34 facts for kids
NC13355, the aircraft involved in the accident.
|
|
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 27, 1936 |
| Summary | Pilot error |
| Site | Rice Canyon, Los Angeles County, California 34°21′01″N 118°32′43″W / 34.3502769°N 118.5453639°W |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 247D |
| Operator | United Airlines |
| Registration | NC13355 |
| Flight origin | San Francisco, California |
| Destination | Los Angeles, California |
| Passengers | 9 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 12 |
| Survivors | 0 |
United Air Lines Flight 34 was a regular airplane trip. It was flying from San Francisco, California, to Los Angeles, California. The flight took place on December 27, 1936.
What Happened to Flight 34?
This flight was a routine journey for United Air Lines. It was supposed to be a short trip between two major California cities. The aircraft was a Boeing 247D, a modern plane for its time. It carried nine passengers and three crew members.
The Flight's Last Moments
On that morning, at 7:36 AM, the co-pilot of Flight 34 made a radio call. He asked for a special radio signal, called a localizer beacon, to be turned on. This beacon was located near Burbank and helped planes find their way.
The airline's radio team then asked where the plane was. The co-pilot answered, "just a minute." Just two minutes later, at 7:38 AM, the airplane crashed. The accident happened in Rice Canyon, close to Newhall, California. Sadly, all 12 people on board, including the passengers and crew, died in the crash.
Why Did It Happen?
After the accident, investigators looked into what caused the crash. They found that the main reason was an error made by the pilot. The pilot tried to fly through an area called Newhall Pass. This pass is surrounded by mountains.
The pilot flew at an altitude that was lower than the nearby mountains. This was done without first checking the weather conditions using the radio. Flying too low in an area with mountains, especially without knowing the weather, can be very dangerous. This mistake led to the tragic accident of United Air Lines Flight 34.
