Douglas C-54 Skymaster crash, Dec 1, 1980 (2 killed), Indio
Douglas C-54 Skymaster accident on December 1, 1980 near Indio, California, United States with 2 fatalities. Cause: Insufficient vertical separation...
- Date: December 1, 1980
- Aircraft: Douglas C-54 Skymaster
- Location: Indio, California, United States
- Fatalities: 2
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: Insufficient vertical separation during a repositioning manoeuvre by T1 to photograph T2 in flight, resulting in a mid-air collision.
Two Forest Service DC-4 airtankers, T1 (N96449) and T2 (N406WA), were ferrying home to Tucson after southern California fire assignments. While T1's crew photographed T2 in flight, T1 closed on T2 with insufficient vertical separation and the two aircraft collided. T1 lost its tail, broke up and crashed with a post-crash fire, killing both crew. T2 landed safely at Palm Springs.