The first transcontinental air route passed right over Donner Summit. Beacons and weather stations guided pilots through passes and away from mountains but even with the assistance planes still crashed. Here a Boeing Tri-Motor carrying the U.S. Mail crashed into a meadow near Pla-Vada. This was the second crash for the pilot who went on to fly until retirement. The plane's parts were gathered up and transported by dog sled out of the snow.
Photo location 39° 19.030'N 120° 27.189'W