This P2V-7 Neptune Crashed in Harding Canyon, Cleveland National Forest, in 1969

On February 11, 1969, a U.S. Navy Reserve SP-2E Neptune BuNo #131487 flew its final mission. The aircraft and its six-man crew, from a Navy Reserve unit based in Minneapolis, MN, were serving two weeks of active duty at the Los Alamitos Naval Air Station, 20 miles south of Los Angeles. The aircraft departed "Los Al" in the evening and headed for nearby El Toro Marine Corps Air Station for some night landing practice. The weather was somewhat cloudy and the rugged Santa Ana Mountains to the north were obscured. At 2023 hours local, a fighter jet flying over the area reported seeing a large fireball below him.

131487 was apparently executing a missed approach when its right wingtip struck the southern ridge of Harding Canyon. The aircraft cartwheeled and disintegrated. The burning wreckage was scattered over a large area of some of the most inhospitable terrain in the Santa Ana range.

Rescue units from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Costa Mesa Police Department located the site and determined there were no survivors. Lost in the crash were:

• Lt. Cmdr. Robert Frederick, 38, from White Bear MN, pilot
• Lt. Cmdr. Beal Gordon Dolven Jr., 36, from Minneapolis, co-pilot
• Lt. Cmdr. Oliver B. Walley, 34, from Menomomie, WI; Lt. John E. Surratt
• Air Ordnanceman Walter R. Jacobson, 40, of St. Paul
• Air Ordnanceman John Edward Hansen, 31, from Rochester, MN
• Aviation Machinists Mate Harris R. Hendrickson, 47 of Minneapolis

A picture of a different crew.  Air Ordnanceman John Hansen can be seen second from the right, back row.  Photo courtesy of Susan Hansen.

Having discovered this site around 1990, Greg has marked and utilized this wreck as a Civil Air Patrol training site for both ground and air rescue. Reaching the site by ground is a very physically demanding task and can give the ground rescue team member candidate a clear picture of just how serious this job can be. More than one of these new cadets have decided to choose a different line of work due to this exercise. The skill required in sighting this wreck from the air also proves to be a great training site for rescue aircrews. Obtaining good air photographs of the wreckage is also a tool Greg uses in the training and evaluation of Mission Observers. In this small way, we feel that the loss of 131487 and her crew was not in vain. Dozens of CAP/USAF rescue personnel have been trained here and their talents are continually used so that others may live.

3-D aerial pictures of the crash site (you'll need those red/blue glasses):

Many of the light-colored specks in the picture are century plants, but the large piece in almost the exact center is a the flap seen below.

P2V-2 specifications.
A great site that is mostly about the history. of the P2V Neptune.
Many, many tail numbers.
Lock Mart's own P-2V page.