Mount Kit Carson | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 5,286 ft (1,611 m) NAVD 88 [1] |
Prominence | 322 ft (98 m) [1] |
Parent peak | Mount Spokane |
Coordinates | 47°55′02″N 117°08′30″W / 47.9171°N 117.1418°W [2] |
Geography | |
Parent range | Selkirk Range |
Topo map | USGS Mount Kit Carson |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Trail hike |
Mount Kit Carson is a mountain in the northwest United States, located in Spokane County, Washington, northeast of Spokane, with a summit elevation of 5,286 feet (1,611 m) above sea level. It is in Mount Spokane State Park, the largest of Washington's State Parks at 13,919 acres (21.7 sq mi; 56.3 km2).
On September 10, 1962, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker was descending for a landing at Fairchild Air Force Base west of Spokane when it flew into a fog-shrouded ravine on Mount Kit Carson. The aircraft was based at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota and all forty-four aboard were killed. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] It was the worst aviation accident in U.S. history (at the time) and as of October 2012, remains the 3rd worst accident (currently) involving a KC-135. [10] [11] [12] It was attributed to a navigational error by the crew. [13]
Mount Kit Carson | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 5,286 ft (1,611 m) NAVD 88 [1] |
Prominence | 322 ft (98 m) [1] |
Parent peak | Mount Spokane |
Coordinates | 47°55′02″N 117°08′30″W / 47.9171°N 117.1418°W [2] |
Geography | |
Parent range | Selkirk Range |
Topo map | USGS Mount Kit Carson |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Trail hike |
Mount Kit Carson is a mountain in the northwest United States, located in Spokane County, Washington, northeast of Spokane, with a summit elevation of 5,286 feet (1,611 m) above sea level. It is in Mount Spokane State Park, the largest of Washington's State Parks at 13,919 acres (21.7 sq mi; 56.3 km2).
On September 10, 1962, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker was descending for a landing at Fairchild Air Force Base west of Spokane when it flew into a fog-shrouded ravine on Mount Kit Carson. The aircraft was based at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota and all forty-four aboard were killed. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] It was the worst aviation accident in U.S. history (at the time) and as of October 2012, remains the 3rd worst accident (currently) involving a KC-135. [10] [11] [12] It was attributed to a navigational error by the crew. [13]