At 7 AM on Saturday February 19, 1955, a 40 passenger TWA Martin 404, "Skyliner Binghamton", Flight 260, taxied away from the old terminal at the Albuquerque Sunport bound for Kansas City. The first leg was to be the short 26 minute hop to Santa Fe, NM. On board were 16 people, there were thirteen passengers aboard and three crew members consisting of Captain Ivan Spong, who had a reputation for being a “very much by the book” type pilot, First officer “J.J.” Creason and Flight Hostess Sharon Schoening.
Flight 260 took off and began a climbing right turn to intercept the runway 35 localizer back course on which it would proceed northbound to Santa Fe at 9000 feet ASL (above sea level). But it did not intercept the localizer. It entered clouds and continued on a North East heading directly toward Sandia Mountain (elevation 10,678 ASL). It would appear that the pilots became aware of their plight and were attempting to return to the low terrain of the Rio Grande Valley west of the mountains. Captain Spong makes a 180 degree turn, north west, but can't pull the plane high enough. Flight 260 crashes into the east side of the "Dragon Tooth" (35° 11.768'N 106° 26.609'W) pinnacle a sheer granite cliff, at 7:13 along a nearly westerly heading back toward Albuquerque.
On the morning of Sunday, February 20 the wreckage is finally spotted by James R. Bixler while repeatedly flying his plane over an area of the Sandias where he thought the downed plane might be. While literally hundreds of people from the Sheriffs Department and State Police, Civil Air Patrol ground team and 44th Air Rescue Unit from Lowry Air Force Base Denver, TWA and Army personnel; as well as others with no official status, were trying to reach the crash site, two carpenters, Frank Powers and George Boatman reached the wreckage at the eastern base of the crash pinnacle. Monday February 21.
--- The Passengers
Homer Bray, Albuquerque, New Mexico
A local insurance and real estate professional was headed to Topeka, KS, on business
Lois Dean, Albuquerque, New Mexico
A first grade teacher at Lew Wallace Elementary School was on her way to Oklahoma City for a job interview with the U.S. Government teaching military dependents in Japan.
Reverend Earl F. Davis, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Pastor of the First Assembly of God Church. Mr. Davis was on his way to Oklahoma City to attend his brothers funeral.
Dan A. Collier, Cincinnati, Ohio
President of Dan Cohen Shoe Company, which had recently opened an Albuquerque location. He was headed back to Cincinatti for his 50th birthday the following Friday.
Robert B. Riley, Dallas, Texas
Engineer for the American Institute of Steel Construction headed home to Dallas.
Robert S. Nyaland and Harry N. Shuth, Kansas City
Missouri Professional engineers heading home to Kansas City from Las Vegas, NV
after taking part in an observation team that witnessed atomic bomb tests the previous Sunday
Mr. Alfred S. and Mrs. Dorothy Schoonmaker, Hackensack, New Jersey
Visiting New Mexico for Alfred's business, the couple was planning to drive from Santa Fe to los Alamos for a business meeting.
William R. Campbell, Tenafly, New Jersey
The 29 year old made a last minute flight to Albuquerque, planning to join his father-in-law Alfred Schoonmaker, on his Los Alamos Business trip.
Worth H. Nichol, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Working for PNM (Public Service Company of New Mexico) in Albuquerque, he was flying back to Amarillo, Texas for his sons 14th birthday.
Robert Balk, Socorro, New Mexico
The New Mexico Bureau of Mines geologist was heading east to attend a National Science Foundation meeting.
Harold E. Tips, Tulsa Oklahoma
Vice President of Helmerich Payne Oil & Gas Drilling & Exploratory Company. After searching land records in Santa Fe on February 18, he was headed home to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when his flight was turned back to Albuquerque. He re-boarded flight 260 the following day to continue home.
--- The Crew
Captain Ivan Spong, Chanute, Kansas
He began TWA pilot training in 1942, becoming a Captain after WWII. A veteran pilot, with instrument and overseas flying experience, Spong would be making his twelfth trip between Albuquerque and Santa Fe during the previous nineteen days.
First Officer Jesse James Creason Jr., Kansas City, Missouri
Creason, known as "J.J.", had been with TWA for three years. He knew the Albuquerque route well, having flown it thirty-two times.
Sharon Schoening, Kansas City, Missouri
A TWA hostess since June of 1953.
See also TWA Canyon Cache GC2063
Click here to go to GC2063.
https://youtu.be/lnjP9vVNL-0?si=QqJZ9hOFKM_05w7Y