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3 fatalities

Cargo Aircraft Crashes into Hill near Albuquerque

Albuquerque, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On February 11, 1950, a Beechcraft D18 operated by Private United States of America was involved in an aviation accident near Albuquerque, United States of America during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: As there was no evidence of sabotage, and since none of the detonators appeared to be missing, the incident was not reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft on a cargo flight from Dayton to Albuquerque struck a hill six miles west of West Mesa during approach in low clouds and poor visibility, killing all three occupants and destroying the aircraft and its cargo of 792 classified detonator units.

Accident

A twin-engine aircraft was operating a cargo flight from Dayton, Ohio, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The crew consisted of one pilot and two security guards from the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The cargo comprised 22 boxes containing 792 classified high-explosive (HE) detonator units. As the aircraft approached Albuquerque, the pilot encountered low clouds and poor visibility. The aircraft subsequently struck the slope of a hill located 6 miles west of West Mesa.

Aftermath

The impact and a post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft. All three occupants were killed. The cargo was destroyed but later salvaged from the wreckage.

Investigation

Officials reported no evidence of sabotage. None of the detonator units appeared to be missing. Because of these findings, the incident was not reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Controlled flight into terrain

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 11 Feb 1950 Beechcraft D18 accident near Albuquerque, United States of America?

A twin-engine aircraft on a cargo flight from Dayton to Albuquerque struck a hill six miles west of West Mesa during approach in low clouds and poor visibility, killing all three occupants and destroying the aircraft and its cargo of 792 classified detonator units.

Were there any fatalities in the 11 Feb 1950 Beechcraft D18 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 3 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 11 Feb 1950 involved a Beechcraft D18, operated by Private United States of America, at Albuquerque, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

As there was no evidence of sabotage, and since none of the detonators appeared to be missing, the incident was not reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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