Vutee BT-13A 42-1395 crash in Santa Catalina Mountains Tucson Arizona on July 9, 1943
Copyright © Chris McDoniel
Sky Island: Catalina Mountains
Instructor Lowell V. Wright and Chinese aviation cadet Ming Chuan Chwei took off from Avra Auxiliary Field on the morning of July 9, 1943, for a routine flight in a Vultee BT-13, serial number 42-1395. Avra Auxiliary Field was one of the many auxiliary fields associated with the larger Marana Army Air Field. Shortly after 10am, the plane crashed below Mt. Lemmon killing both occupants. Wreckage was located two days later. The Army Air Forces conducted an investigation with the hypothesis, “the instructor in the front cockpit had gone to sleep while the student was flying under the hood.”
After visiting this crash site multiple times, I struggle to see how the plane flew into a canyon in the Catalina Mountains without either occupant having any visibility. My thought is that the plane was flying through the canyon, lost air speed, struck a tree, and eventually crashed.
(As a total side note, my old website was www.P-38.com - thus the "© www.P-38.com.)
Remains of the BT-13 in the Catalina Mountains. Note the unique 1943 “star” on the wing. This insignia was after the “meatball” and before the “star and bars.”
Star starting to fade.
Star no longer visible as the forest reclaims the crash site.
Instructor Wright is on the left. I think Ming Chuan Chwei is second from the left.
Marana Army Air Field BT-13 in flight over Arizona.
Star is completely gone.
Tail section in the foreground. Tail wheel sticking up.
One of the Vultee rudder pedals.
Remains of the canopy, photo taken in early 1990's. Somebody must have carried this item off the mountain since it’s no longer at the crash site.
Remains of the throttle quadrant and other instruments.