On August 21, 1947, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration NC59488) operated by Slick Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Blue Bell Knoll, United States of America in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight continued into instrument weather conditions over mountainous terrain at an altitude too low to clear the mountains. 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.
An aircraft crashed into Mt Blue Bell Knoll near Boulder, Utah, while flying at 10,000 feet in marginal weather, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating at an altitude of 10,000 feet under marginal weather conditions. During this phase of flight, the plane struck the slope of Mt Blue Bell Knoll, a location situated north of Boulder, Utah. The impact forces were severe enough to destroy the airframe completely. Tragically, all three occupants on board lost their lives in the collision.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the accident resulted from continuing the flight into instrument weather conditions over mountainous terrain. A critical factor was maintaining an altitude that was insufficient to clear the peaks during the en route phase.
Probable cause
The flight continued into instrument weather conditions over mountainous terrain at an altitude too low to clear the mountains.