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| Black Plus AT-6 Wreck Site, AZ | |
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| | Black Plus AT-6 Wreck Site, AZ | | | |
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Black Plus AT-6 Wreck Site, AZ
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| Hiking | 7.26 Miles |
1,484 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.26 Miles | 6 Hrs 41 Mns | | 2.07 mph |
| 1,484 ft AEG | 3 Hrs 11 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This was a double destination, off trail hike on the east side of Lake Pleasant.
I went up a mountain to locate a benchmark, then continued a few miles north to locate the wreck site of an AT-6C military plane. The AT-6C crashed over 71 years ago.
BLACK Triangulation Station was set in place in 1924, mainly to assist in surveying the Maricopa/Yavapai border. The county border follows the Agua Fria River in this area, and the 1924 boundary survey pre-dates the original Waddell Dam that made Lake Pleasant. I went up a scree field and a cholla field to get to the top of Pk 2431, where the benchmark was set. Ironically the benchmark is not on Black Mountain, located just east, across a valley.
After locating the benchmark, I went off Pk 2431 to the north and eventually made my way down to a wash that led me to the wreck site.
Lt Orland l Luhr, based at Luke Field, was piloting an AT-6C, tail #41-32833 when it crashed near Lake Pleasant on Saturday, 19 Aug 1944 (at 3:05 PM). He had a midair collision with a TB-25C bomber, tail #42-32383. The mid-air collision occurred at approximately 9,500 Ft.
The B-25C was commanded by Lt George Hunter. He and his crew were based at Mather Field, Sacramento, CA. Both planes crashed, and there were no survivors.
This midair collision was unique because it occurred while filming a WWII Hollywood movie sequence.
The HAZ description for the crash site is “Lake Pleasant Plane Crash”, and includes alot of specific information about the circumstances that led to the AT-6C crash. It’s a good read.
I did a bit more research and discovered that there were a total of 18 AT-6s airborne (yes … 18), all in one huge formation, simulating a head-on attack by Japanese Zeros on a large formation of B-25s.
There was a ‘camera plane’ up there also, filming the simulated attack.
In addition, I found three eye-witness accounts of the midair collision itself. The three eye-witnesses were actually flying at the time of the midair collision.
One eye-witness was another AT-6 pilot and two were in the camera plane. Their eye-witness accounts are quite interesting.
One eye witness (the AT-6 pilot), followed the doomed AT-6 to the ground, and saw it burst into flames. He then flew north about 3 miles and circled the B-25 crash site.
If interested, go here for more on the simulated attack sequence, and the eye-witness accounts.
It’s titled “Tuffys War” (Part 3 of 6)
http://bit.ly/1GPvCRo
(Take your time - It’s a bit long and detailed)
After viewing the wreck site (and saying a silent prayer for Lt Luhr and the bomber crew), I hiked out thru a boulder-filled wash, up and over a ridgeline, past Pk 2431, then to the trailhead. During the hike, I rousted a ‘flock’ of Javelinas, and had a staring contest with some wild burros. I lost the staring contest.
It was a good hike.
Locating the benchmark and its two reference marks was uneventful, and visiting the wreck site was, as expected, quite sobering. |
| _____________________
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
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