BCPA Flight 304

BCPA Flight 304

Occurrence
Date	October 29 1953
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain
Site	El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space
Aircraft type	DC-6
Operator	British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
Registration	VH-BPE
Passengers	11
Crew	8
Fatalities	19
Injuries	0
Survivors	0

British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA) Flight 304 was a Douglas DC-6, named Resolution and registered VH-BPE, on a flight from Sydney to San Francisco, with scheduled stops at Nadi (Fiji), Canton Island, and Honolulu. It crashed during its initial approach towards San Francisco International Airport on October 29, 1953, killing all 19 people on board, including the American pianist William Kapell.

The aircraft was flying the Honolulu - San Francisco leg with a crew of 8 and 11 passengers (10 adults and 1 child). Captain B. N. Dickson (aged 34) and his crew took over the plane in Honolulu as scheduled. The estimated flying time was 9 hours and 25 minutes. Dickson and his First Officer, F. A. Campbell (aged 28) each had several thousand hours of flight time in a DC-6. Both pilots had made more than 100 approaches into San Francisco Airport, many of which were actual instrument approaches. The weather in the San Francisco area presented no adverse flight conditions; however, visual reference with the ground was precluded by the overcast foggy conditions and an instrument approach was required.

Events leading up to crash

As the flight neared the California coast, the flight contacted San Francisco Air Route Traffic Control (ARTC). At 8:07 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, it was cleared to descend in accordance with Visual Flight Rules and to maintain at least 500 feet (150 m) on top of clouds, which the flight acknowledged. At 8:15 a.m., the flight reported that it was starting descent and at that time was given the San Francisco weather report. Just after 8:21 a.m. ARTC cleared the flight to the San Francisco ILS Outer Marker via the Half Moon Bay Fan Marker direct to the San Francisco Outer Marker, with instructions to maintain at least 500 feet (150 m) above all clouds and to contact San Francisco Approach Control after passing the Half Moon Bay Fan Marker. At 8:39 a.m., the flight called San Francisco Approach Control and advised that it was over Half Moon Bay, 500 feet (150 m) on top of clouds. Approximately three minutes later, the flight reported “Southeast, turning inbound”. At 8:45 a.m., a call to the flight was unanswered as were all subsequent calls.

Investigation and probable cause of crash

Accident Investigation Report:
Diagram of the instrument approach procedure and crash site

The Civil Aeronautics Board investigated the accident. The investigation began immediately after locating the wreckage in the mountainous area southwest of San Francisco, about seven and a half miles southeast of the town of Half Moon Bay. The aircraft was almost entirely destroyed by impact and ensuing fire. It had initially topped several large redwood trees, continued across a narrow ravine and crashed against the side of a steeply rising slope approximately half a mile beyond the first tree strike. The main wreckage area was at about 1,950 feet (590 m) above Mean Sea Level.

The landing gear was down and locked at impact. There was no evidence of mechanical or structural failure prior to the impact. The accident site was between the Half Moon Bay Fan Marker and the ILS Outer Marker and it appears that the flight did not maintain at least 500 feet (150 m) on top of clouds between these points but had descended in weather conditions which precluded reference to the ground. In addition, the flight had reported being over the Half Moon Bay Fan Marker at 8:39 a.m. and then “Southeast, turning inbound” at about 8:42 a.m.: in this time interval it would not have been possible for the flight at normal speed to have flown from the Half Moon Bay Outer Marker to the ILS Outer Marker, made the required turn and returned to the site of the crash in accordance with CAA approved instrument approach procedure. Thus it was likely that when the pilot reported he was “Southeast, turning inbound”, he was in fact southwest of the airport. The investigation then stated that it was probable that the captain, after reporting that he was over Half Moon Bay, either saw the terrain momentarily through an unreported break in the overcast foggy conditions or because of a radio navigational error became convinced that his position was farther northeast and started to descend over what he believed was the proper area.

It was therefore concluded that the probable cause of the crash was the failure of the crew to follow prescribed procedures for an instrument approach.

Red Cross volunteers and emergency personal, including what became the USA's first foresic investigation team, recovered bodies and wreckage. They also put out three forest fires started by the crash. A black granite memorial plaque with the names of the victims has been dedicated at the Hiller Aviation Museum.

Resolution Trail

Today, the crash site is part of the El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, which includes the "Resolution Trail", named for the plane. Park rules restrict visitors to the trail and visitors are also requested to respect this historical site by leaving any artifacts where they find them.

External links

• Check-Six.com - The Crash of BCPA Flight 304 - Includes full crew & passenger list
• flightoftheresolution.org - Flight 304 history, photographs, memorial information
• Aviation Safety Network incident summary