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10 fatalities

Douglas DC-3 accident at Centerville, United States of America, 4 Nov 1940 (NC16086)

Centerville, United States of AmericaFlight

On November 4, 1940, a Douglas DC-3 (registration NC16086) operated by United Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Centerville, United States of America in flight. 10 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: On the basis of the foregoing findings of fact and upon all of the evidence available at this time, investigators find that the probable cause of the accident was the malfunctioning of the Salt Lake radio range and that substantial contributing factors to the… 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)Primary report: the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) accident report collection at the National Transportation LibraryUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

On the basis of the foregoing findings of fact and upon all of the evidence available at this time, investigators find that the probable cause of the accident was the malfunctioning of the Salt Lake radio range and that substantial contributing factors to the accident were: - The failure of the communications operators at Tintic, Plymouth, and Salt Lake City, Utah, whose duty it was to monitor the range, to detect its malfunctioning and immediately notify those concerned; and - The failure of the pilot to follow to the fullest extent established radio range technique in accordance with the requirements of the procedure established by United and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

While cruising in poor visibility due to the night and snow falls, the aircraft impacted the slope of the Bountiful Peak located in the Wasatch Mountain Range, some five km northeast of Centerville. SAR arrived on the scene around 0900LT. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 10 occupants were killed.

Probable cause (official findings): On the basis of the foregoing findings of fact and upon all of the evidence available at this time, investigators find that the probable cause of the accident was the malfunctioning of the Salt Lake radio range and that substantial contributing factors to the accident were: - The failure of the communications operators at Tintic, Plymouth, and Salt Lake City, Utah, whose duty it was to monitor the range, to detect its malfunctioning and immediately notify those concerned; and - The failure of the pilot to follow to the fullest extent established radio range technique in accordance with the requirements of the procedure established by United and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

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