9 fatalities

Mountain Impact on Vancouver Island (39333)

Mt Guemes (Vancouver Island), CanadaFlight

On November 4, 1948, a Lockheed P-2 Neptune (registration 39333) operated by United States Navy - USN was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Guemes (Vancouver Island), Canada in flight. 9 people were killed. 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)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft struck the slope of Mt Guemes on Vancouver Island while en route. The wreckage was discovered in a remote wooded area days after search operations were suspended.

What happened

The incident occurred during the en route phase of flight when the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Guemes, situated in the center of Vancouver Island. Following the collision, the aircraft did not return to its base of operations. Search and rescue teams initiated immediate efforts to locate the missing machine but were unable to find any trace of the aircraft or the crew. Consequently, these operations were suspended after several days had passed without success.

The wreckage was eventually located on October 16, 1961, by walkers who came upon the site in a wooded, mountainous, and isolated region.