FlightFinder
Check my flight
21 fatalities

Douglas DC-3 accident at Elk Mountain, United States of America, 31 Jan 1946 (NC25675)

Elk Mountain, United States of AmericaFlight

On January 31, 1946, a Douglas DC-3 (registration NC25675) operated by United Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Elk Mountain, United States of America in flight. 21 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: On the basis of the foregoing the Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was the deviation from the prescribed route at an altitude insufficient to assure adequate clearance over Elk Mountain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

On the basis of the foregoing the Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was the deviation from the prescribed route at an altitude insufficient to assure adequate clearance over Elk Mountain.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

On the non stop leg from Boise to Denver, while flying by night and poor visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Elk located southeast of Elk Mountain, south Wyoming. The wreckage was found few hours later in a deep snow and in poor weather conditions, about 340 feet from the summit. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 21 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path by 4,5 miles and its altitude was 11,000 feet.

Probable cause (official findings): On the basis of the foregoing the Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was the deviation from the prescribed route at an altitude insufficient to assure adequate clearance over Elk Mountain.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses