The San Gorgonio C-47 9/5/05

The C-47B Dakota USAF #45-1124 crashed in snowstorm on 12/1/52 while on a flight from Offutt AFB at Omaha, Nebraska to March AFB near Riverside, California killing the 13 men on board. On 12 ...

2009-09-16T14:18:47Z

Joe Idoni
The C-47B Dakota USAF #45-1124 crashed in snowstorm on 12/1/52 while on a flight from Offutt AFB at Omaha, Nebraska to March AFB near Riverside, California killing the 13 men on board. On 12 ...

Joe, me at the Fish Creek Trailhead. The plan is to hike up the Fish Creek Trail to Mine Shaft Saddle. Then take the Sky High Trail to the crash site. From there, follow the canyon down that ...

2009-02-17T05:20:33Z

Joe Idoni
Joe, me at the Fish Creek Trailhead. The plan is to hike up the Fish Creek Trail to Mine Shaft Saddle. Then take the Sky High Trail to the crash site. From there, follow the canyon down that ...

Flowers along the trail.

2009-02-17T05:13:09Z

Joe Idoni
Flowers along the trail.

Me at Fish Creek saddle at 9,800'. Stopped here for a short break to eat.

2009-02-17T05:17:07Z

Joe Idoni
Me at Fish Creek saddle at 9,800'. Stopped here for a short break to eat.

Lot of dead trees on this section of trail as I near Mine Shaft Saddle.

2009-02-17T05:17:51Z

Joe Idoni
Lot of dead trees on this section of trail as I near Mine Shaft Saddle.

Dry Lake still looks full. This lake drys up in the summer.

2009-02-17T05:21:45Z

Joe Idoni
Dry Lake still looks full. This lake drys up in the summer.

Approching Mine Shaft Saddle at 10,000'.

2009-02-17T05:14:08Z

Joe Idoni
Approching Mine Shaft Saddle at 10,000'.

The start of the Sky High Trail just past the saddle.

2009-02-17T05:18:03Z

Joe Idoni
The start of the Sky High Trail just past the saddle.

Some of the C-47 wreakage at the 10,400' level on the Sky High Trail. The trail passes right trough the crash site.

2009-02-17T05:22:08Z

Joe Idoni
Some of the C-47 wreakage at the 10,400' level on the Sky High Trail. The trail passes right trough the crash site.

Above the trail is one of the wings.

2009-02-17T05:20:31Z

Joe Idoni
Above the trail is one of the wings.

Inside the wing.

2009-06-10T19:34:36Z

Joe Idoni
Inside the wing.

Looks like part of one of the engines.

2009-06-15T02:13:40Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like part of one of the engines.

Above the trail is the right wing with it's tip torn off.

2009-06-10T19:38:55Z

Joe Idoni
Above the trail is the right wing with it's tip torn off.

Hole in the wing skin showing some of the structure.

2009-06-15T02:12:32Z

Joe Idoni
Hole in the wing skin showing some of the structure.

Opening for the landing light. This plane has been stripped of everthing that could be removed.

2009-06-10T19:41:53Z

Joe Idoni
Opening for the landing light. This plane has been stripped of everthing that could be removed.

Some of the aluminum was melted.

2009-06-10T20:02:50Z

Joe Idoni
Some of the aluminum was melted.

Someone put up this cross. It reminded me of the men who lost their lives here 53 years ago.

2009-06-15T02:06:08Z

Joe Idoni
Someone put up this cross. It reminded me of the men who lost their lives here 53 years ago.

I think this is part of the rudder further up the trail.

2009-06-15T02:14:19Z

Joe Idoni
I think this is part of the rudder further up the trail.

Looking down on the wreckage that's below the trail. From here I can see the other wing.

2009-02-17T05:20:18Z

Joe Idoni
Looking down on the wreckage that's below the trail. From here I can see the other wing.

Looking up from a couple hundred feet below the trail. The wing and part of the tail

2009-06-10T19:38:00Z

Joe Idoni
Looking up from a couple hundred feet below the trail. The wing and part of the tail

The left horizontal stabilizer, the right side is buried. Can see where the vertical stabilizer was. You can see part of an engine fairing on the wing in the upper left of pic.

2009-06-10T19:39:29Z

Joe Idoni
The left horizontal stabilizer, the right side is buried. Can see where the vertical stabilizer was. You can see part of an engine fairing on the wing in the upper left of pic.

Lot of rivets on this section of wing. This is the joint where the outer section of wing is attached to the center section.

2009-06-15T02:17:21Z

Joe Idoni
Lot of rivets on this section of wing. This is the joint where the outer section of wing is attached to the center section.

A shot of me shows the size of the plane, this is half of the tail.

2009-02-17T05:15:20Z

Joe Idoni
A shot of me shows the size of the plane, this is half of the tail.

Looking into the wing near the engine fairing.

2009-02-17T05:13:59Z

Joe Idoni
Looking into the wing near the engine fairing.

Closer look at where the vertical stabilizer and rudder use to be. On the right is the right tip of the stab.

2009-06-15T02:21:45Z

Joe Idoni
Closer look at where the vertical stabilizer and rudder use to be. On the right is the right tip of the stab.

Found a few of these clamps. This part still had a little bit of fabric on it after 53 years.

2009-06-15T02:23:38Z

Joe Idoni
Found a few of these clamps. This part still had a little bit of fabric on it after 53 years.

The remains of one of the propellers.

2009-06-15T02:08:53Z

Joe Idoni
The remains of one of the propellers.

One blade is broken off, another has been cut off. The one still there is bent from the crash.

2009-06-15T02:20:40Z

Joe Idoni
One blade is broken off, another has been cut off. The one still there is bent from the crash.

Close up of the hub.

2009-06-10T19:45:50Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the hub.

The propeller blade's tip has marks from the impact of the crash.

2009-02-17T05:07:30Z

Joe Idoni
The propeller blade's tip has marks from the impact of the crash.

Part of the wing fairing on this fuselage section.

2009-02-17T05:18:11Z

Joe Idoni
Part of the wing fairing on this fuselage section.

Another view of the fuselage section.

2009-06-10T19:45:35Z

Joe Idoni
Another view of the fuselage section.

More parts as I start climbing down.

2009-02-17T05:12:28Z

Joe Idoni
More parts as I start climbing down.

It's one of the main gear wheel hubs with the brake drum attached.

2009-02-17T05:15:49Z

Joe Idoni
It's one of the main gear wheel hubs with the brake drum attached.

More stuff further down.

2009-06-15T02:15:11Z

Joe Idoni
More stuff further down.

Looks like one of the wing tips.

2009-06-15T02:16:01Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like one of the wing tips.

Can't tell what this was. Maybe part of the fuselage

2009-02-17T05:17:09Z

Joe Idoni
Can't tell what this was. Maybe part of the fuselage

More pieces.

2009-06-15T02:09:46Z

Joe Idoni
More pieces.

Lot of the weckage was buried.

2009-06-15T02:11:41Z

Joe Idoni
Lot of the weckage was buried.

Close up of the partly buried wreakage. Another one of those clamps.

2009-06-10T19:28:20Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the partly buried wreakage. Another one of those clamps.

Looking down the canyon. Haven't seen any parts for awhile now.

2009-06-10T19:59:43Z

Joe Idoni
Looking down the canyon. Haven't seen any parts for awhile now.

This is steep, have to find a way around this. Starting to wounder if continuing on is a mistake.

2009-06-15T02:09:57Z

Joe Idoni
This is steep, have to find a way around this. Starting to wounder if continuing on is a mistake.

Atfer not seeing anything for a while, I came upon this door.

2009-06-15T02:41:16Z

Joe Idoni
Atfer not seeing anything for a while, I came upon this door.

Looking up the canyon I'm climbing down.

2009-06-15T02:14:14Z

Joe Idoni
Looking up the canyon I'm climbing down.

Was surprised to find a wing section about 500' below the main wreckage.

2009-06-15T02:12:53Z

Joe Idoni
Was surprised to find a wing section about 500' below the main wreckage.

It's the right wing tip.

2009-06-10T19:52:04Z

Joe Idoni
It's the right wing tip.

One of the aileron hinges.

2009-06-10T19:47:34Z

Joe Idoni
One of the aileron hinges.

The wing tip. Still a little of the deicing boot on the leading edge.

2009-06-15T02:36:25Z

Joe Idoni
The wing tip. Still a little of the deicing boot on the leading edge.

I was hoping to find the engines thinking that they would be to heavy to carry off. But this half of a crankcase is all that's left.

2009-06-10T19:39:07Z

Joe Idoni
I was hoping to find the engines thinking that they would be to heavy to carry off. But this half of a crankcase is all that's left.

Close up of the crankcase piece.

2009-06-10T19:55:12Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the crankcase piece.

Getting close to the bottom of the canyon. Been climbing down it for over two hours.

2009-02-17T05:20:32Z

Joe Idoni
Getting close to the bottom of the canyon. Been climbing down it for over two hours.

This rotor blade is from a helicopter that crashed trying to reach the wreckage of a C-47. I've seen this before from when I camped at Mine Shaft Flat a few years ago. It's on the trail that ...

2009-06-10T19:43:36Z

Joe Idoni
This rotor blade is from a helicopter that crashed trying to reach the wreckage of a C-47. I've seen this before from when I camped at Mine Shaft Flat a few years ago. It's on the trail that ...

Close up of the rotor blade. The trailing edge is gone.

2009-06-15T02:25:04Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the rotor blade. The trailing edge is gone.

I knew that there was a tire from the C-47 around here, but it's so over grown now.

2009-06-15T02:12:45Z

Joe Idoni
I knew that there was a tire from the C-47 around here, but it's so over grown now.

It took me a while, but I found the tire in the weeds. The tire is 1,500' below the carsh site.

2009-06-10T19:30:57Z

Joe Idoni
It took me a while, but I found the tire in the weeds. The tire is 1,500' below the carsh site.

This photo of the same tire taken the last time I was here a few years ago shows it clearly.

2009-06-07T05:11:29Z

Joe Idoni
This photo of the same tire taken the last time I was here a few years ago shows it clearly.

Looking down the canyon as I hike up towards Mine Shaft Flat. The 10,000 foot ridge on the left.

2009-06-15T02:04:56Z

Joe Idoni
Looking down the canyon as I hike up towards Mine Shaft Flat. The 10,000 foot ridge on the left.

At Mine Shaft Flat. Took a break here to eat, before hiking up to the Fish Creek Trail.

2009-06-07T05:08:26Z

Joe Idoni
At Mine Shaft Flat. Took a break here to eat, before hiking up to the Fish Creek Trail.

Back on the Fish Creek Trail.

2009-06-07T05:08:26Z

Joe Idoni
Back on the Fish Creek Trail.

Back at the trailhead, it's been a long day. THE END

2009-06-15T02:28:00Z

Joe Idoni
Back at the trailhead, it's been a long day. THE END