United Airlines Flight 615

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**United Airlines Flight 615**
Summary
Date	August 24, 1951
Type	CFIT
Site	Oakland, California, USA
Fatalities	50
Injuries	0
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Douglas DC-6B
Operator	United Airlines
Tail number	N37550
Passengers	44
Crew	6
Survivors	0

United Airlines Flight 615, a Douglas DC-6B with FAA registration N37550, was operating as Flight 615, which was a transcontinental east-west service serving Boston-Hartford-Cleveland-Chicago-Oakland-San Francisco. The plane was transporting 50 persons (44 passengers and 6 crew members) on August 24, 1951.

The flight departed Chicago at 10:59 p.m. CST en route to Oakland. At around 4:16 a.m., the plane was approaching Oakland. At this time, the captain requested a descent into Oakland which was granted. At 4:25 a.m. Flight 615 was cleared for the straight-in approach into Oakland. This was the last radio transmission received by the flight. The plane crashed into mountainous terrain 15 miles southeast of Oakland, careening into Tolman Peak and over its knoll, scattering on the downslope and into Dry Gulch Canyon below in a fiery explosion. All 50 persons on board perished.

After an investigation, it was determined that the pilot ignored the prescribed instrument landing procedures. The pilot instead relied on visual reference, using the copilot's automatic direction finder (ADF). The ADF threw the plane three miles off course and below the prescribed altitude of 3,500 feet.

United uses the flight 615 designation today on a Washington (Dulles)-Chicago (O'Hare) route.