TB-25N #44-86805A crashed on Mount San Gorgonio in the San
Bernardino Mountains on January 26, 1956
(The TB-25N is the navigator-trainer version of
the B-25, of which only 47 were made)
Summary: At 2pm in the afternoon, '805'
with a crew of 4 airmen departed Goodfellow AFB in Texas for the 5 hour and 30
minute flight to Norton AFB in San Bernardino. Once the plane reached Blythe,
California, the pilot was given clearance to climb to 13,000 feet to ensure safe
passage over the San Bernardino Mountains. At this time, pilot Captain Bill
Shotwell, was also advised that the Ground-Control Approach radar at Norton AFB
was inoperative, but that the one at March AFB was in operation. At 7:33
pm, Captain Shotwell reported in over Banning that he was beginning his descent
and was changing over to March Approach Control Frequency. This was the last
radio transmission heard from the crew.
Air Force Search & Rescue finally located the
crashed bomber a week later on February 2nd, 1956. The TB-25N North American
Mitchell had crashed in steep and rugged terrain at the 9,000 foot level on the
side of Mount San Gorgonio. The crew were; pilot, Captain Bill Shotwell;
co-pilot, Lt. Alvin Stearns, and crewmen Airmen 1st Classes H. Hill and A. Doman.
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| The crash site is located on precipitous terrain. |
After hiking through a sea of manzanita, a glint of
metal is spotted through the trees. |
It turns out to be the overturned tail section. |
Looking down on wreckage below. |
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| A radio antenna. |
Armor plating. |
The prop hub and broken propellers wedged into a rock. |
Manzanita has its tough grip on this part of aircraft
skin. |
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| A cylinder head. |
Looking downhill to the tail section. |
The nose landing gear under a pile of debris.
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Mass amounts of debris. |
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| Part of the carburator. |
The main impact and burn area. |
The tail and control surface. |
A radio box. |
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| Looking into the overturned tail section. The smooth
surface on the left is the walkway. |
A data plate inside the tail. |
Standing next to the vertical stabilizer. |
A part of the main wing with a yellow cross painted on
it to identify this as a known wreck. |
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| At one time this had "Air Force 486805" painted on it,
but 55 years of exposure has taken its toll. |
Another view of the tail. |
The main landing gear among the debris. |
Tail section. |
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| The pilot's bent and cracked instrument panel.
Unfortunately, years of exposure have greatly faded all of the stenciling
and paint. |
The directional finder. |
The automatic indicator. |
The heater overheat indicators. |
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| The TB-25N pilots check list, dated September 1953. |
The smashed toolbox. |
The rear crew hatch with ladder. |
Oxygen flow regulator. |
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| Holding a propeller blade. |
Mike Hebert in front of the main wing. |
A Wright R-2600 twin cyclone 14 cylinder engine. |
Another view. Part of the nacelle is still attached. |
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