Cessna 172 N2301Y crashed 60 miles east of Yuma in the Palomas Mountains on April 4, 1965

Summary: The Cessna 172 and it's two occupants departed Falcon Field in Mesa around 10:30 p.m. on a flight to Yuma where they were due at midnight. No flight plan was filed and there was no radio contact after the plane departed. The CAP and numerous volunteers spent the next week scouring the remote terrain below the intended flight path and eventually found the wreckage on April 11th. The plane was located in a steep canyon in the Palomas Mountains about 15 miles north of Dateland. Although the exact cause is unknown, NTSB investigators speculated that the pilot experienced "spacial disorientation- accident occured during night flight over an area of dark, unlighted terrain."

Wreckage is scattered 30 yards down the mountainside. The occupants were Dan Favor and Floyd Farar.


The crash site on the side of the mountain.  The underside of the fuselage where the rear window attaches.  Inside of the cabin.  On old speaker. 

 

An old light fixture.  Many parts are buried under dirt and rocks from being on steep terrain for 50 years. Wing flap.  More debris. 

 

Seat frame.  Debris.  Smashed exhaust manifold.  Twisted debris. 

 

Debris.  Window frame.  Wing structure.  Wing structure. 

 

Fuselage section.  More wreckage.  Paint lines- the aircraft was brown and white.  Debris. 

 

One of the men's Zippo lighter.  It still opens.  Investigaters hid the tail section behind this large boulder.  The navigation light opening. 

 

Close-up of the navigation light opening.  The horizontal tail section still retains brown paint.  Tail section.  Another view of the tail section. 

 

The rudder control cable port on the tail section. Interior fuselage. Rear Fuselage section. The "N" number on the side of the fuselage.

 

       
An old ashtray. Seat harness bolt. Valve cover for one of the Continental engine's cylinders. Standing next to the landing gear.

 

 

 

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