6 fatalities

Charter Flight Crashes in Tennessee, Six Killed (N4278C)

Walden Ridge, United States of AmericaFlight

On July 23, 1954, a De Havilland DH.104 Dove (registration N4278C) operated by Gordon Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near Walden Ridge, United States of America in flight. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine charter flight en route from Pontiac to Tampa crashed in a wooded area near Spring City, Tennessee, killing all six occupants after impacting trees.

Accident

A twin-engine charter flight operating between Pontiac, Michigan, and Tampa, Florida, crashed into a wooded area in Walden Ridge, west of Spring City, Tennessee. The aircraft impacted trees while flying at low altitude in marginal weather conditions. All six occupants on board were killed.

Occupants

The flight was crewed by two pilots: Gordon Wyrick and Lawrence Durham. The four passengers were Gordon E. Paxson, Howard Anthony, Laurel Brown, and Florence Brown.

Probable Cause

According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was controlled flight into terrain.