Yukon Air Crashes and Historic Sites
Aviation has played a large role in the history of the Yukon, and it's importance continues to this day. One of the "by-products" of 80 plus years of aviation are a few inevitable accidents. If you are interested in these sites the are listed here, BUT, if you travel in to any of these sites I ask that you respect them and leave them as you found them. Most are protected legally, all of them should be left intact.
This DC 3 (C 47 ?) crashed in 50's near Paint Mountain.
"Flying The Yukon Bush" ; One of many stories by Kit Cain;
This excellent story about flying helicopter in Northern Yukon in 1962 for Pat Callison, complete with pictures and maps, can be downloaded for free ( 4.8 MB .pdf) by clicking HERE.
Kit Cain also has written a lot of interesting and diverse stuff on a variety of topics that are worth looking at at www.kitcain.com .
B-36A - A Cold War Story with a Yukon Connection (Note; this story has been edited to correct some pervious inaccuracies pointed out by Mr. Dirk Septer who assisted Dr. Craig in his pursuit of this story and who played an important role in gaining legal protection for this crash site.)
These days the phrase "Broken Arrow" isfamiliar to most people, pilots and non-flyers alike. But, in the mid 1950's when Yukoner, Doug Craig, was using his new Graduate Degree in Geology from UBC, it wasn't so common. As Doug did his prospecting lines in the remote regions of Northern BC on that summer day he didn't have military conspiracy in mind when he encountered an abandoned piece of electronic equipment attached to an old parachute. He quickly recognized it as a geiger-counter, sporting military markings, and a manufacture date of 1952. The next day he was the first person in very many years to encounter the rest of a B36-A spread across the mountain in front of him. 
Dr. Craig (as we knew him) wasn't one to let a mystery so unique to remain unanswered. For thirty years he pursued and queried the United States military for information about the wreckage, and the story of how it came to be laying where he found it. Originally, the US military had responded to his letters by inform ing him that the wreckage was from a B36-A that had crashed in 1950 and they insisted there were no nuclear devices on board. Of course Dr. Craig responded, with gathering conviction that, if that were true, there would have been no need to drop geiger-counters onto it 2 years later (recall the date on the parachute).Dr. Craig continued to pester the US Government for more detail for 40 years.
In 1995 Dr. Craig came into the office of Environment Canada in Whitehorse seeking me out. He was aware of my position there, and of my aviation orientation. He presented me with a copy of an official report he had finally received from the United States Air Force. Among the sparse information (a half dozen photo-stated forms), was the Weight and Balance sheet for the flight of #2075 on Feb 13, 1950. It was detailed (in military fashion...it even outlined positions of spare parachutes, fire extinguishers) and it appeared unedited. What caught my eye were that the crew names were disclosed, and the "Nil" entries in all bomb bays, except the entry; Bay #1, 1 item, weight= 10,200 pounds.
I expressed my suspicion to Dr. Craig that that sounded like a "Fat Man" bomb from the era. He smiled, and passed me the pages copied from an encyclopedia detailing that exact weight to a "Mark IV" nucear weapon ( a Fat Man). Now, back in the early 70's I did some time with the Canadian Military, and from my limited experience, I was skeptical about the US military of that time (and certainly before), simulating anything, let alone allowing one of their most valuable military assets to make a lengthy journey without the capacity to become "operative" (my word).
Doug Davidge, from Environment Canada, would spear-head the government response to Dr. Craig's case, and together they pursued more details. In 1997 Doug Davidge and Dr.Doug Craig arranged to fly into the wreckage to look for further evidence of nuclear equipment, or risks. It was only once the entire trip was arranged that the Canadian Military finally expressed any interest, and agreed to supply one lone Bell 212 for transport. They flew in from Smithers, for Dr. Craig it was to visit an aircraft he hadn't seen for 45 years.
On their arrival they discovered that unseasonable warm weather had melted the glacier thereby uncovering more of the wreckage, almost the entire aircraft was available for examination.
At one point, one of the surviving crew was interviewed and described the events of the night in frank detail. I will only sum his story up by paraphrasing his report that, on a dark winter night of Feb 13, 1950 they knew the aircraft was going to be lost, observing radio silence, covered in ice, three engines on fire, unable to maintain height, "...Capt Barry turned the aircraft out to sea...", and "...We were at about 8000 feet when the bomb exploded so we could see the flash as it exploded...". You can read his exact words at ; www.cowtown.net/proweb/brokenarrow3.htm.The official report of their findings that day are attached here (B36 92075.pdf). In point form here are some of the other findings recorded either there, or from Doug Davidge or Doctor Craig to me personally;
- There were drums of unused explosives present that were probably dropped by the military in the 1950's and that efforts had been made then, after the crash, to blow up the wreckage.
- The sealed case of detonators was present, and had been opened, and the required number of detonators to trigger a nuclear explosion had been extracted (only the four spare detonators included in the case remained).
- The carrier for the Plutonium "core" which had been present at one point, was removed by person or persons, and the US Government subsequently has recovered this material.
- There were machine guns, 20mm Cannons, and live ammunition in place.
- Upon their departure in 1997 the sight was revisited by persons anonymous who removed much of the attractive wreckage. (One cannon was removed by the military and is now on display at CFB Cold Lake.
- Following the crash in 1950 the attention died down untill the 90's but Dr. Craig wasn't the only one interested in this accident.
- The reports, photos, and other details are available from Environment Canada's office in Whitehorse. (Call Doug Davidge at 867-667-3400 to arrange viewing).
- More information is also available at www.mysteriesofcanada.com?BC/broken_arrow.
- In an ironic twist one of the items available from Environment Canada's library is a 1955 vintage Hollywood production starring Jimmy Stewart called "Strategic Air Command" which is a shockingly accurate version of this story. (Does life immitate art, or does art immitate life?).
- One final twist I noted; a news article (about 2 inches of print in the middle of the Globe and Mail about six months later) confirmed that the United States Government had just admitted to the loss of two nuclear weapons in Canada during the "Cold War" years, one in British Columbia, and one in Quebec.
Les Allen buys a "Duck"
Les Allen is a long-time Yukoner who you can find under the Union Jack that has flown under the bridge at Johnson’s Crossing for the last thirty odd years.Les has had a long involvement in aviation starting with his enlistment in the RAF during the Second World War and his service as a “rigger” in Northern India (where else?). He can relate lots of adventures there, and perhaps I can pry a few of these out of him in time. Following the war he moved to the Yukon and, like many, was engaged in a number of adventures before settling down to work for DIAND as a fire-fighter. Les managed the “Hanger”, (the special helicopter and smoke jumper fire-attack facility out of what is now hanger “D”), until he retired. He relayed the following story to me;
In about 1954 he was living in Brooks Brook. It was a CN camp alongside the Alaska Highway in between Teslin and Johnson’s Crossing. He and Earl Graham were looking at starting a fish guiding business. They went to Mary Simmons (George Simmons spouse) and offered to buy the carcass of both the Eastman Flying boats that remained. Several of these had been brought up to do bush flying in Yukon and Northern BC in those early days. She agreed, and so for $50.00 ("...big money in 1954...") he and Earl took the CN “pole truck” on a weekend, and drove down to Atlin where they loaded the hull of the first aircraft that was lying abandoned on the beach there. Then they drove up to Carcross and loaded the second that they found laying near the runway. The one in Carcross had been disassembled, but lying beside the hull was an engine, flying wires and the “main planes”.
Everything was loaded and moved to Brooks Brook where their plan was to construct a catamaran type fish guiding boat using marine plywood to sheet in between the two hulls. Earl borrowed the floor polisher from the government and proceeded to clean up both hulls. (The effort required the use of all the polishing pads available there, a fact that apparently resulted in some complaints from management.)
*Les provided me with the two attached photographs which obviously were taken following this polishing procedure. That is Les sitting on one hull in 1954.
Unfortunately the entrepreneurs soon discovered that marine plywood cost $ 15.00 a sheet in 1954 and a lack of capital killed the venture shortly thereafter. Eventually the engine was sold to Tiny Kitchen who fastened it onto an ice-boat that raced around Teslin Lake for a short while. George Prestone bought one of the hulls from them and proceeded to cut the stern off and replaced it with a wooden transom to make an aluminum skiff out of it. The remaining hull and parts were sold and went south into British Columbia. This aircraft was the basis of the Eastman Sea-Rover that was lovingly restored by the Aviation Museum in Sidney BC at the Victoria Airport. (It never was actually a “Duck”.)
Once again, nothing stranger than truth?
Some flying passages from the "Mayo Miner"
Friday July 24 1936;
“Pilot Wasson punches hole through low ceiling over Mayo."...With a heavy white rain mist hiding Hungary Mountan from Mayo view, Everet “Simles” Wasson, chief pilot for Whitepass Airplane Services in Yukon, droned in from Whitehorse Tuesday Forenoon in the all weather Fairchild cabin plane, hit off for Dawson in a heluva hurry after discharging cargo here. The White Pass ship landed here from Dawson 7.30 the same evening bringing as passengers Mr. and Mrs. MJ Gillespie, Volney Richmond and 1 other.
Pilot Wasson hi-tailed for the capital half an hour later, flew back to Mayo 9 a.m. Wedensday morning with five Dawson sky riders for Mayo: Although aviator Wasson found clear sailing Tuesday and wedensday outside of Mayo, the cieling over Mayo was packed with storm clouds both days and the veteran Yukon ace had to seek out an opening over the Stewart before landing Wedensday forenoon. He continued on to Whitehorse an hour later after the skies had broken over mayo.
Everett said that Minto Lake , 21 miles away, was in clear sunshine as he flew over that way.
Livingstone Werneke ...in his new plane, purchased recently from Wallace Beery, screen star and avaition enthusiast of Holywood, Mr. Werneke believes that he has found the best possible ship for his purposes.
On his recent flight to Mayo he and his pilot, Charley Gropstis, broke all records for speed from Vancouer tho the Yukon’s silver metropolis. The new plane is one of the latest model Bellanca’s, a five place job fitted with evry modern flying device and comfort. Powered with a 500hp Pratt and Whitney motor, the plae cruises at a speed of 160 miles an hour, top speed being 196 m.p.h. The tanks carry enough gasoline for 9 hous flying. On take off the motor develops 650 hp.
Although the flight from Prince George to Mayo recently took 8 1/2 hours, Mr Werneke explains that Pilot Gropstis had to duck storms most of the way. Ordinarily he says they should make the flight in 5 hours, direct from Prince George to Mayo."
Sept 4 1936
“ Edmonton to Sawson in nine flying hours is the record set by prairie aces Pilot “Hal” Hayter air engineer Jack Brown who set their pontoon-equipped Norseman” streamliner down on the Yukon River 5p.m. Saturday last after a flight from ...Fort St John ...Carcross to Dawson...."
Sept 11, 1936
"For the first time since last December , Pilot Everett Wasson was grounded in Mayo for a day this week due to bad weather."