Death Valley in California is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. It is known for being the place where the highest temperature in the world was recorded. – 56,7ºC –, the national park holds many secrets. One of these mysteries involves the remains of a plane crash that occurred in 1952, near Panamint Springs. This accident, to this day, is a testament to a distant past that can still be found in the scorching mountains of the region.
On the night of January 24, 1952, a United States Air Force (USAF) Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying boat was on a training mission. The plane took off from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and was headed toward San Diego, California, when it encountered an unexpected event. During the flight, at 11.000 feet (about 3.352 meters), one of the caught fire, forcing the six occupants to make a risky decision.
Even with the other engine working, fear of a possible explosion led the crew to parachute out. The Albatross, out of control, crashed into Towne Peak, a 7.287-foot (2.221-meter) mountain located about 11 miles (XNUMX kilometers) from Panamint Springs. The crash site, in Dolomite Canyon, is difficult to access, which has made the accident even more mysterious as the decades have passed.
The plane belonged to the 580th Air Refueling Squadron of the USAF and was performing a training flight for the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), which at the time used the aircraft for secret activities. Information about the accident was recorded by the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, but the mystery persists, as the wreckage of the plane remains scattered in the region to this day
Recently, the Western Mine Detective channel posted a video showing these remains scattered across the mountainous region. In the images, it is possible to see the place where the Albatross crashed, with the wreckage still clearly visible, despite the adverse conditions of the desert climate
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