Hike to Grumman SA-16 Albatross Crash Site, Death Valley, California

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On the evening of January 24, 1952, a United States Air Force (USAF) Grumman HU-16 Albatross seaplane crashed near Panamint Springs, California, on the western edge of Death Valley National Park. The plane had taken off from Mountain Home AFB air base in Idaho and was headed for San Diego, California. The port engine caught fire when flying at 11,000 feet. The six occupants of the plane decided to parachute, despite the fact that the other engine was working properly, perhaps out of fear that the plane would explode. The Albatross crashed on Towne Beachmark Peak, at 7,287 feet (2,221 meters), in Dolomite Canyon and 11 kilometers from Panamint Springs. This flight was a “classified training mission for the C.I.A.” in aid of the cold war. The entire tail section is still intact. You can also see one full engine and a bunch of other identifiable pieces of the plane. This is a tough hike to reach the site.

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