Investigation Summary
Flight 830 was operating as a non-scheduled passenger service for the U.S. Military Air Transport Service, carrying service members and their families. After arriving from Clark Air Force Base, the aircraft prepared for its next leg to Wake Island. At 06:00 local time, the DC-6 took off from runway 6L into night VFR conditions. Almost immediately after liftoff, the pilot initiated a right turn while continuing to climb. This maneuver placed the aircraft on a direct collision course with Mount Barrigada. The aircraft struck the terrain just 50 seconds after takeoff, approximately two nautical miles from the runway. Although the impact forces were survivable for many, a massive post-crash fire broke out as the aircraft slid 1,000 feet through thick brush, accounting for the high death toll.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) concluded in its final report (File No. 1-0029) that the primary cause was the pilot's failure to adhere to the established departure procedures for runways 6L and 6R. These procedures explicitly mandated a climb to 1,000 feet before turning east to ensure clearance from the 674-foot peak of Mount Barrigada. The board also noted that a single red flashing beacon on the summit might have been obscured by early morning haze or was of insufficient intensity to alert the crew to their proximity to the terrain.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Rudy J. Holman, age 46.
First Officer
Clayborne P. Claunch, age 31.
Systems & Failure Modes
Departure Procedures
Standardized flight paths designed to ensure terrain clearance; the crew failed to reach the 1,000-foot altitude requirement before turning.
Mount Barrigada Beacon
A single red flashing beacon intended to warn pilots of the peak, which may have been obscured by haze.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was originally a freighter operated by American Airlines before being purchased by World Airways.
- 02The crash was the deadliest aviation accident in Guam until the crash of Korean Air Flight 801 in 1997.
- 03Most fatalities were attributed to the post-impact fire rather than the initial collision forces.
- 04The flight was a non-scheduled charter for the U.S. Military Air Transport Service (MATS).
- 05The aircraft struck the mountain only 50 seconds after beginning its takeoff.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Operational Manual Compliance
The investigation emphasized the requirement for crews to carry and consult current radio facility charts and flight information manuals that specify departure procedures.