Douglas C-54G accident near Aubeery, California, August 23, 1995
On August 23, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Douglas C-54G, registered N2742G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aubeery, California. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to see and avoid known obstacles along his route of flight. Contributing was the insufficient information given by the pilot in the lead aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aubeery, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas C-54G · all C-54Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2742G · no longer on the register · serial 36089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tanker pilot was approaching the drop area when the copilot saw some static lines in front of the windscreen and alerted the pilot flying the aircraft. The pilot then dove below the lines before collided with them, severing the top 1/3 of the vertical stabilizer. Visibility was reported by those in the operation as good with some smoke from the fire which they considered not a factor. All pilots were advised of wires in the area and some had the lower set of lines in view. None of the pilots involved in the operation were aware of the higher set of lines 150 feet above the lower set, which were 140 feet above the ground. The other pilots following the accident aircraft, now aware of the higher lines, flew below these wires. This was the accident pilot's third pass over the fire area and the pilot was aware of the general terrain from previous operations. These unmarked transmission lines are depicted on the terrain map. However, the height of these lines was not passed on to the pilots, nor did the lead pilot see the higher lines along the tanker's route of flight when he made a clearing pass over the area just before the collision.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,950 hours in all; 1,588 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 25,740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,975 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 66,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2000 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: California Dept. Of Forestry
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 9:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX95TA304.