On April 17, 1956, the ADF  approach to Moffett Field, using  the Los Gatos Homer, would claim another aircraft and take the life of yet another very experienced naval aviator.  This was not the first, and it would not be the last aircraft to descend below the "Minimum Descent Altitude" (MDA) and crash while trying to land at NAS Moffett Field in northern California.

     This time the aviator was Lt. Ernest Leonard Jr., who had more than 2,200 hours of flying time, with more than 820 hours in the TV-2 type jet aircraft.  He was a Korean War veteran, but his most recent duty assignment was as a flight instructor at NAS Kingsville, Texas.

     His final flight  was a  short hop  down  to Moffett Field in actual instrument conditions.  He was no stranger to this route, or the ADF approach.  He successfully completed this same approach  the night before without any difficulty.  Ironically, this flight was a cross country proficiency check ride.  The flight should not have ended in disaster.  There was no indication of impending doom.

    In the new book, "Aircraft Wrecks in The Mountains and Deserts of California", (3rd edition), you'll read why  Lt. Leonard Jr. didn't pass his check ride.  You'll read his last radio transmissions and wonder, as the investigators did, just what happened on that approach?

    This new book, by G. Pat Macha and Don R. Jordan is a Database for California aircraft accidents, complete with the date, general location and status of more than 1,500 wrecks.

    Pat and Don have personally located and documented  many of the crash sites listed in this book, and the pictures brought back are spectacular.  Many of these pictures will be in the book in a "then and now" format.

    This new book is now available  from the authors, "Info Net Publishing", or any retail book store.